Power employees begin strike in UP, govt warns of ESMA action — What is it

Power department employees in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday began a three-day strike over pay anomalies and the selection process for chairmen and managing directors in power companies. The government has threatened to take action against protesting workers under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and fire those who don't return to work. But what is the act?

Employees in Uttar Pradesh have gathered under the banner of Vidyut Karmacharis Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti, a union of electricity department employees, and held demonstrations across the state. Over lakh employees are participating in the 72-hour strike that began on March 16 at 10 pm.

According to an ANI report, night shift workers, junior engineers and engineers have gone on strike and refused to attend duty at thermal powerhouses in Anpara, Obra, Parichha and Harduaganj.

The government said if the strike creates problems for the public, it will take action against the protesting employees under the ESMA and threatened to sack contractual workers who do not return to work. It also said action would be initiated under the National Security Act in case vandalism occurs during demonstrations.

Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) is a law passed by the Indian Parliament in 1968 to ensure the maintenance of essential services in the country, including power supply, transport and medical services. The law empowers state governments to take strict action against those who disrupt essential services, including arresting and prosecuting them. Under ESMA, striking employees can be punished with imprisonment for up to one year, and/or a fine.

The Uttar Pradesh government and power department employees had agreed on some points on December 23 last year but several of those changes were yet to be implemented even after three months, such as:

# Implementation of the Power Sector Employees Protection Act

# Stopping the outsourcing of operation and maintenance of power sub-stations for transmission

# Equal honorarium for different corporations

#Revision of allowances

# Removal of salary anomalies

# Selection of power company chairmen and managing directors through a committee headed by the chief secretary instead of being filled on the basis of transfer

Samiti Convenor Shailendra Dubey told PTI that union office-bearers said the employees were forced to go on strike because of the ”stubbornness” of the top management of energy corporations. The strikers include engineers, junior engineers, technicians, operating staff and clerical and contractual employees.

In a late evening press conference, State Energy Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma took a tough stand against the strike and declared an alert across the state.

Many employees want to work and if someone stops them from working then action will be taken against such people and if any damage is caused during the strike then action will also be taken under NSA, the official said. The government has made arrangements to keep the state’s electricity system in order, he added.

The power minister said that the government is in talks with the striking group.

"We even held a meeting with them today for two hours but they are not ready to listen. However, the government has still kept the door open for talks,” he said.

Dubey said that a complete strike of electricity department employees is taking place in Uttar Pradesh after about 23 years. Earlier, employees of emergency services were exempted from boycotting work on different occasions, but this time all 1 lakh employees will participate in the strike, he said.

Dubey said on the call of the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers, about 27 lakh electricity department employees from across the country have extended support to the strike.