Madras HC directs Tangedco to file status report on conciliation process with gangmen union

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) to file a status report regarding the conciliation process underway between the electricity board and the gangmen union, which called for a strike.

The first division bench of acting Chief Justice D Krishnakumar and Justice PB Balaji directed the Tangedco to initiate steps to fill up the 36,000 vacancies available in the electricity board either by temporary or permanent employment, while hearing a public interest litigation moved seeking to restrict the gangmen from indulging in the strike.

The counsel representing the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board Gangmen Union submitted that since 36,000 vacancies for various posts are not filled up by the Tangedco, the officials of the department are forcing the gangmen to deliver works of others such as foreman, electrician and wiremen.

Despite the gangmen are unskilled labours, the officials of the Tangedco employ them in skilled work set in the place of wiremen, said the counsel. Due to this, 70 gangmen died in the past three years and the board is washing their hands by denying compensation to the families of the victims. Hence, the union has announced the strike, added the counsel.

Advocate General (AG) PS Raman on behalf of Tangedco submitted that the board has wrote to the state to fill up the vacant posts. Conciliation process between Tangedco and the gangmen union is underway, said the AG.

The gangmen union came forward to withdraw the strike until the completion of conciliation process.

After the submission, the bench directed the Tangedco to submit a status report regarding the outcome of conciliation process and posted the matter after two weeks.

The PIL was moved by R Purushothaman from Tiruvallur alleging that the gangmen union announced indefinite strike from August 22, demanding to promote them as field assistants.

Without considering the larger public interest, financial crunch of the Tangedco and forthcoming festival weeks, the strike was announced for their own benefit, said the petitioner. Hence, the petitioner sought the High Court’s directions to restrict the strike.