LARKANA: The All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union (CBA) on Friday hit out at the federal government for hiding its plans for privatisation behind the tags of public-private partnership and outsourcing of feeders, which would eventually deal a serious blow to workers’ interests.

Abdul Latif Nizamani, central president of the union, said at a workers’ convention here on Friday that the union would strongly resist the government’s policy of privatisation of power utilities.

He said the union representatives would stand against the centre’s ill-intentions like an iron wall. Unchecked and frequent increase in power tariff in line with IMF’s agreement had broken the back of the poor, who could not even afford to pay their bills regularly, he said.

He said the government had inserted four articles in the notification for ad hoc allowance for workers, which could deprive a large number of workers of the financial benefits and demanded the left-out workers should also be provided the bonus.

Demands filling of over 80,000 vacancies

Mr Nizamani disclosed that currently, over 80,000 vacancies in Wapda distribution companies were to be filled as at present one worker had to shoulder the load of several workers amid shortage of employees.

He alleged that political bigwigs, feudal lords and the rich had a mindset to rule over Wapda workers and they kept maneuvering to make them their slaves, which the union would not tolerate.

Nizamani said this class struggle had further bolstered workers morale. Even the union council chairmen and councilors under local bodies system wanted to have control on Wapda affairs but the union would frustrate their designs, he said.

He said that all obstacles would be removed with the help of unity among workers. The CBA had succeeded to obtain the 35 per cent ad hoc allowance and a notification to this effect had been issued, he said, adding it would certainly help minimise ever increasing burden of skyrocketing prices of essential commodities and utilities bills on the working class.

He urged workers to strengthen the union and regularly visit labour halls so as to fight collectively against injustice.

Saeed Ahmed Dawach, chief executive officer of SEPCO, said that the union’s efforts for the bonus finally bore fruit and it would be released shortly.

He asked Wapda workers to inject more efforts in the power utility to raise revenue recoveries so as to strengthen the company. The SEPCO was trying to resolve all problems of workers in consultation with the union, he said.

Nizamani along with the union’s provincial secretary general Iqbal Khan and regional chairman Nisar Ahmed Shiakh called on the CEO of SEPCO and discussed a set of pro-worker demands including promotions of all staff categories, up-gradation of part-time sanitation workers, early construction of training centres, metering staff training and promotions.

The CEO directed the departments concerned to resolve all the issues and meet the union’s demands.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2023