Power unions had demanded an agreement on pay hikes immediately, and went on a flash strike with effect from 6am on Sunday.
The Andhra Pradesh Government has appealed to the A P Power Employees Joint Action Committee not to continue the strike in the interests of the general public and the maintenance of essential services.
In a media statement, the officials have clarified that the last pay revision for the power sector of Andhra Pradesh was made in April 2010, and the next pay revision was due in April 2014, after 4 years.
The pay revision is made once every 5 years by the Andhra Pradesh Government, and it is made once every 10 years by the Central Government.
This year in the month of February, after the approval of the state government, the Pay Revision Committee was constituted, and the Committee gave its report in March 2014.
Due to the model code of conduct in force during the elections, a special permission was obtained from the Election Commission of India for discussions even during the period that the model code of conduct was in place, and the last discussion was held with the JAC on 17.5.2014. The report was sent to the government on 20th of May 2014. Even at the government level, the file was moved on 21.5.2014.
However, as the new government in the States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh would be formed very shortly, it was suggested by the government that it being a major policy decision where approximately Rs. 1,250 crores would be the wage increase, it would be proper that such decisions were taken by the newly elected governments.
It was also conveyed to the JAC that even if there was some delay in taking the decision on the PRC, the revision would be implemented with effect from lst April 2014, and it would thus hardly make any difference if there were some delay in taking the decision.
However, unions and associations (the JAC) demanded that the management enter into an agreement immediately, and went on a flash strike with effect from 6am on Sunday.
The management of the power sector, which has been involved in series of negotiations with the JAC, requested the associations and unions to cooperate with the management and wait for a few more days, since the strike in the power sector would adversely affect essential services like drinking water, hospitals, train services etc., and put citizens to a lot of inconvenience. (INN)