CHENNAI: After a 13-year hiatus, the state government has finally approved the long-pending tripartite agreement proposed by the erstwhile Tamil Nadu Electricity Board as outlined in government order 100.
This agreement aims at ensuring secure pension, other benefits and favourable working conditions for employees. Besides, the state government and the entities undertake that there should be no retrenchment of existing officers and employees.
Despite the division of TNEB into two separate entities -- Tangedco and Tantransco as per the GO from November 1, 2010, the implementation of the draft tripartite agreement was delayed for various reasons for 13 years. The board had put forth a proposal to the government, suggesting the initiation of a tripartite agreement involving TNEB (Tangedco, Tantransco), the government and employee unions in May 2010. The unions also accepted the draft.
In October 2010, the then DMK government under M Karunanidhi issued the G.O. 100 to set this plan in motion.In a significant development, energy secretary Beela Rajesh has given her approval for the draft tripartite agreement. In an official communication dated October 31 to Tangedco, she said, “The state government conducted a thorough review of the provisions in the draft tripartite agreement, taking into account the feedback from the Commissioner of the Labour Department.”
Consequently, the government officially sanctioned the draft tripartite agreement, which will involve the state government, TNEB entities (Tangedco and Tantransco), and recognised employee unions and associations within the utility. A senior official told TNIE, “We will decide in the upcoming board meeting regarding the agreement.”
R Murali Krishnan, legal adviser for BMS (electricity wing), told TNIE, “The approval is a positive development, benefiting and securing the future of 86,000 employees and 89,000 pensioners after a decade.”
While the recent wage revision settlement has been completed, the power utility employees are awaiting new workload orders for upcoming tasks. Currently, they are operating under existing orders. Therefore, it is better the power utility issued new workload orders in alignment with the tripartite agreement, he added.
E Natarajan, state general secretary of Bharatiya Electricity Engineers Association, expressed the hope that the power utility implemented the tripartite agreement soon.