The employees of Power development Department (PDD) onTuesday said they are going on an indefinite strike from 8th of July againstthe government’s move to start the unbundling process of PDD again.

The employees said that despite several assurances by the higherofficials of department they were not taken on board regarding the unbundlingof PDD which is resulting in snatching of basic rights of employees. Theemployees said that PDD employees will go on strike along with those of powerdevelopment corporation (PDC) employees under the banner of J&K ElectricalEmployees Union (JKEEU) to press for various other issues which standunaddressed from past years.

“We took the decision following several meetings withemployees as the department has restarted the unbundling of PDD without takingus on board which will result in snatching of our rights. Apart from this thereare issues like regularization of our daily wagers and release of their yearslong wages which needs to be addressed swiftly,” said Mohammad Maqbool Najar,president JKEEU.

“Our employees who were transferred from PDD to PDC overpast years are yet to get benefits like pension etc, these are the burningissues which we want to be addressed,” he said.

Members of JKEEU said that despite working in high riskconditions they are not getting any risk allowance from the department creatingproblems for them, the employees also said that promotions of around twothousand employees is lingering which they want to be addressed.

In last six months 12 of our employees died while 10 weredisabled due to accidents while performing their duties and we are stilldeprived from the risk allowance,” said a member of JKEEU adding that each yeardozens of such cases occur.

The aggrieved employees said that despite several round oftalks with government, their demands are not addressed which has forced them togo for an indefinite strike.