Irked by the delay of the state government to compromise on the issue of regularising their jobs, casual workers in the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Ltd (MeECL) began phase one of an agitational programme today.
The first phase consists of wearing black badges but the second will see the workers hold a sit-in demonstration from September 5 to 16 if there is still no move from the government. The protests are being led by the MeECL Progressive Workers Union (MPWU) and Coordination Committee of Registered MeECL (Employees) Associations and Unions (CCORMAU).
According to the MPWU, there are more than 2,000 casual workers employed by the state-owned power utility, some of whom have been working there for decades. Arrears have also been kept pending since 2018 for contractual workers and since 2015 for regular staff and the unions want these cleared post haste.
Under the unions’ demands not all the contract workers will be regularised. Originally, the government was willing to consider those casual workers who had been in continuous employment with the MeECL for 15 years for regularised employment. The unions, however, demanded that 10 years be the benchmark. Later, the unions adjusted and made it 12 years, to which the Chairman and Managing Director reportedly considered favourably but there was no movement.
Only around 500 to 600 casual workers would be regularised in the first phase, which the unions feel is manageable for even a financially struggling company like MeECL.
