HYDERABAD: Declaring the proposed strike by artisans as ‘unlawful’, the TS Transco said that if anyone goes ahead with strike from Tuesday action will be taken as per the rules.
TSSPDCL Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) G Raghuma Reddy has issued instructions to officials concerned to “terminate the services of artisans who abscond from duty or remain unauthorisedly absent” during the strike period.
He also sent a draft copy of the termination letter to the senior officials. Senior officials were requested not to sanction any kind of leave to the artisans, except on grave medical grounds of serious aliments.
Though the recognised unions reached an agreement with the management on April 15 on the Pay Revision Commission and other problems, the unrecognised union decided to go on strike from Tuesday over the unresolved issues of artisans.
The management, meanwhile, clarified that the issues of artisans were also included in the agreement reached with the recognised unions. The management said that it would invoke Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against those who go on strike.
It may be mentioned here that the Telangana Vidyut Employees Union as well as the Contract Employees Union had given strike notice.
TS Transco CMD D Prabhakar Rao and TSSPDCL CMD G Raghuma Reddy said that there was a ban on strikes in Transco. The management would not tolerate any employee, if there were any interruption in the power supply from Tuesday, they said.
Raghuma Reddy said: “When ESMA is in force, going on strike is unlawful. It would be treated as ‘misconduct’.”