האגודה הישראלית לחקר יחסי עבודה

12.

They went on strike on Aug 11 to register their protest against registration of criminal cases against their colleagues and vowed to continue it until their cases are withdrawn.

The operation and maintenance work of the producing company remained at stand still for third consecutive day, causing immense problem and inconvenience to the consumers.

The charged Iesco officials from the region took out rally from the local office while carrying placards and banners and raising anti-government slogans and after marching on G.T. Road gathered at Taxila main chowk where they staged a sit-in for over two hours, suspending traffic on Rawalpindi- Peshawar route. The march turned into a rally which was addressed by union leaders.

Regional vice chairman of Wapda Hydro Electric Labour Union Raheem Shah and zonal chairman Sammar Shah Bukhari vowed they would continue their strike until their colleague is released.

Their colleagues were booked on charges of sending exorbitant bills to a peasant who after failing to rectify it committed suicide. One of them was arrested on the initiative of the state minister for water and power, Abid Sher Ali, who took him to the police station.

They termed the minister’s action ‘point-scoring’. They claimed that the sub divisions working in Attock would soon join the strike. They also announced that on the appeal of Wapda Hydro Electric Labour Union, region-wide protest rallies would be taken out in which scores of Iesco employees would participate. Later after over two hours sit in, the protesters dispersed peacefully.

Meanwhile, consumers visiting different Iesco offices in Taxila, Wah, Hassanabdal, Attock, Jehlum, Chakwal and Rawalpindi with complaints faced great deal of inconvenience as all the offices of the Iesco operation, maintenance and service department remained closed due to strike.

Published by Daily Dawn on Aug 14, 2016

Original Source