Hyderabad: Minister G Jagdish Reddy to hold talks on power staff issues

Saifabad: Power Minister G Jagdish Reddy has assured the Telangana State United Electricity Employees' Union of holding discussions on the problems facing the staff after the Nagarjunasagar by-election.

Responding to a representation of the union listing the problems, he stated that MLA Narsi Reddy and union representatives would be invited to the talks, according to union general secretary V Govardhan.

The union represented that many basic issues of the employees had been pending for long. This was agitating the staff.

The list of problems included non-extension of EPF/GPF to those recruited after 1999, regularisation of 23,667 employees, recognising 1,667 linesmen as artisans, non-payment of minimum wages to 6,500 workers employed on piece rate basis and of arrears to junior linesmen appointed in 2011.