UT Powermen Union on Tuesday decided to observe one day strike on February 1 against privatisationChandigarh of electricity distribution in Chandigarh.

The employees of UT Chandigarh Electricity Department today held a protest rally and demonstration in sector 17 against the decision of union cabinet to handover the work relating to electricity distribution to a private company .

A resolution to go on one day strike on February 1 and two day strike on February 23 and 24 was unanimously passed at the protest rally.It was also decided that in case any action against interest of workers is taken before this , they will immediately resort to indefinite strike . The rally was addressed by Dhyan Singh President , Gopal Dutt Joshi General Secretary .Amrik Singh Vice President and others.

Joshi said that the legal challenge filed by UT employees is still under sub judice as the matter is pending in Punjab and Haryana High Court with the next date of a hearing scheduled for is January 20. This is a clear case of contempt of court. It has been alleged at the rally that the UT administration has not brought the full facts of the cast before the central government. The employees demanded that their service conditions, pay, pension, gratuity and allowances should be protected at every cost.Section 133 of Electricity Act 2003 makes it compulsory that under the favorable transfer scheme the service conditions of employees and staff must not be less favorable.

The employees alleged that their pay scales have not been revised and the Chandigarh administration has not implemented the center's new pay scales. There has been no promotion in the department for the last two to three years. Raghubir Chand President of Federation of UT employees and Workers and Ram Swarup President Pensioners Association also addressed the rally and said that no compromise with the change of service conditions will be tolerated and all the UT employees will go on strike in support of UT power employees