Non-release of salaries: KESC workers to relaunch protest against management

Employees of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) have decided to re-launch their protest drive against the utility management for not fully implementing the July 26 agreement with the workers. The decision came after the release of leaders of KESC workers union from central jail, who were arrested in an FIR lodged against them by utility management about a month ago under the charges of hooliganism.
Chairman of the union, Akhlaq Ahmed, and General Secretary Shahzad Khan along with 28 others were granted bail in two FIRs by the Additional District and Session Judge (South) against a surety of Rs 30,000 each.
On Friday, leaders of the workers unions hold meeting and decided to re-launch their protest drive under the banner of KESC Mazdoor Ittehad against pending re-absorption of the surplus staff into the utility organisation and non-payment of their salaries.
Talking to Business Recorder, Akhlaq Ahmad condemned the KESC management for not implementing provisions of the July 26 agreement with the KESC workers, who were awaiting for the release of their withheld salaries of the past four months. He said the KESC labourers would continue with their protest movement under the banner KESC Mazdoor Ittehad till their withheld salaries for the previous four months were released and the surplus staff of the utility, who have not availed voluntary retirement programme, were absorbed into the organisation with full restoration of their services.
He said that non-release of outstanding salaries of four months to 4,000 workers was tantamount to gross violations of provisions of the agreement by the management of the utility.
He said that due to the non-co-operative stance of the management, the dispute resolution committee to be constituted in light of the July 26 agreement had not yet been formed. He held the incumbent KESC management responsible for the prolonged power outages in the city.