Power workers assured of 25pc raise

LAHORE: The electricity employees from BPS-1-19 will get 25 per cent raise in their salaries this week. This raise is termed Disparity Reduction Allowance. Board of Pakistan Electric Power Company decided this in a meeting to remove the anomaly of the pay scales. Ban on recruitment of electricity staff will also be lifted to prevent accidents of the field staff.

These assurances were given by Ali Raza Bhutta, Federal Secretary Energy, in a meeting held with the representatives of All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union CBA led by trade union leader Khurshid Ahmed along with Javed Iqbal Baloch, Imran Khan and other representatives on Monday.

Lifting of ban on recruitment of line staff is a longstanding demand of the union. There is a shortage of staff because of which the present electricity staff is overburdened. Earlier, the union reported to the secretary that although the Disparity Reduction Allowance had been allowed by Wapda to its employees, no order had been issued so far for the electricity employees. They also brought to his notice the tragic accidents of line staff due to shortage of staff and demanded the government ensure safe working conditions.