CHENNAI: Hundreds of contract workers of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) from various districts staged a protest in front of the TNEB headquarters in Chennai on Friday, demanding fair wages, job security and better service conditions.
The protesters alleged that they had been receiving wages far below the amount sanctioned by the government. They demanded that the approved wages be paid in full and action against contractors violating labour norms.
Speaking to TNIE, S Manikandan (45) from Dindigul, one of the protesters, claimed that the government had fixed Rs 500- Rs 700 as daily wage for contract workers engaged in electricity board operations. He said additional pay has also been sanctioned for work carried out during cyclones, heavy rain and other natural disasters. “However, contractors pay us only Rs 250 to Rs 300 a day while retaining the remaining amount,” he alleged.
The workers also demanded permanent employment, implementation of minimum wages and social security benefits, stating that many of them had been working for several years without job security.
Responding to the allegations, a senior TNEB official told TNIE, “We have instructed contractors to pay wages and extend statutory benefits, including PF, to all contract workers. They have also been warned that their bills will not be cleared unless they comply with the rules.”
