PDD's need-based workers to go on 72-hour strike from Oct 8 in Jammu

The Power Development Department's need-based workers Wednesday announced a 72-hour strike from October 8 against alleged discrimination and failure of authorities to release their pending wages.

"We have decided to struck work and hold round-the-clock protest sit-in outside the office of chief engineers here from October 8 in support of our demands for release of pending wages and to protest the discrimination with us," PDD need-based workers union president Akhil Sharma told reporters here.

Sharma, who met the chief engineer and submitted a memorandum, threatened to go on an indefinite strike if their demands were not met.

He claimed that their 7,500 counterparts in Kashmir province were adjusted as daily wagers and are being provided monthly wages.

"There are only 3,405 need-based workers in the entire Jammu region. We are not only ignored but we are also being denied wages for last many years," Sharma said.

He said most of them are working as linesmen and meter readers.

"We will not tolerate this discrimination and will hold round-the-clock dharna to press for our rights," he said, adding that they have been rendering services in the department for over a decade.

He said earlier, they were given wages depending on the progress of work but that has also stopped after 2015 for unknown reasons.