Stalemate continued over hike in salaries of electricity employees

HYDERABAD: Stalemate continued in the talks on Sunday between officials and the TS Power Employees Joint Action Committee (JAC) over the demand for a hike in the salaries of electricity staff.

Management of power utilities and representatives of the JAC met in the presence of energy minister G. Jagadish Reddy at his camp office. The government offered a 7 per cent hike in salaries, but the JAC demanded 25 per cent.

The union leaders backed their demand by showing certain parameters. The meeting concluded without reaching any decision.

The JAC leaders later declared that preparatory meetings on the proposed strike by electricity employees from April 17 will continue on Monday. They also decided to boycott the review meetings of TS Transco, TS Genco and Discoms from April 10.

JAC chairman G. Saibabu, convener P. Ratnakar Rao, co-chairman E. Sridhar, co-convener P. Beesi Reddy, vice-chairman M. Anil Kumar, M.A.Vazeer said that state government should immediately announce the pay revision commission for electricity employees. “TSPEJAC is ready for discussion over hike in salaries with the managements”, they said.

Chairmen and managing directors D. Prabhakar Rao (Transco and Genco), G. Raghuma Reddy (southern discom) and A. Gopal Rao (northern discom), Transco joint managing director C. Srinivasa Rao were present in the discussion.