Power employees to launch cease-work stir from today

Bhubaneswar: A large number of employees working under different franchises of the Electricity Department have threatened to launch a cease-work protest from today to press for their demands.

As per sources, the employees have given a call for a strike and will discontinue work in all the electric sub-divisions across the State.

Their list of demands include regularisation of employees who have completed 10 years of service before and after 2006, removal of franchises, enrolment under the Employees' State Insurance (ESI) and Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) schemes and fixing the minimum salary at Rs 24,000.

The members of the Odisha Power Employees Union alleged that despite having discussions with the state government on this issue, nothing has been done yet. The Union further threatened the protests will continue until the demands are fulfilled.