ASSAM STATE ELECTRICITY WORKERS’ UNION 25^TH BIENNIAL CONFERENCE

The 25^th biennial conference of the Assam State Electricity Workers Union held in 3 days program from 13^th to 15^th May’03 at Lions Club Auditorium at Tinsukia. Sri Basudev Sarmah, President of the Union inaugurated the Conference by unfurling the union’s flag. Above 200 delegates from the different parts of the state attended the conference. On 14^th May, the President of the reception committee Sri Sukhen Chakraborty, Principal of the Tinsukia College read out the welcome address to the delegates. Sri Deben Bhattacharjee, Secretary CITU State Committee was the Guest in Chief, speaking on the occasion vehemently criticised the Central Govt.’s new economic policy. Another invitee Sri Mani Bhattacherjee from Bank Employees Federation appealed for united movement of the working class to defeat the centre anti-national and anti labour policy. Veteran Trade Unionist and Advisor of the union Sri Hironmoy Ghosh appealed for forge and widen unity of fight against Central & State Govt. both of whom are bent upon to the dole out the National interest at the behest of World Bank, IMF & WTO. Dy. General Secretary and the Joint Convenor of the National coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers, Assam Branch, Sri Dipak Kr. Saha vividly explained the ultimate objectives of the Assam Electricity Bill-2003 and Central Electricity Bill-2002. Is to privatise the power Sectors to facilitate the infiltration of big domestic or foreign private companies to allow them supper profit at the cost of the State and its people, let alone job opportunities for the unemployed and security of the employees and Pensioners and Sri Saha appealed for build up united movement in ASEB alongwith the general public.

Sri Dinesh Ch. Goswami, General Secretary, placed before the delegates the secretariat report and after a thread bare deliberation the Secretariat report and financial report accepted unanimously by the house. The conference also adopted a few resolutions which includes opposing Electricity Bills, Privatisation of ASEB, and Revised Pay Scale wef April’2002 alongwith Uniform Promotion Policy for the Employees.

On 15^th May in the delegates meeting, a 39 members Central Working Committee elected compring Sri Dipak Kr. Saha as President, and Sri Dinesh Ch. Goswami as General Secretary, and Sri Niranjan Bhawal as Finance Secretary, Sri Balindra Kumar as Publicity and Office Secretary for the next session. The conference concludes with a press conference. The press was addressed by the D.K. Saha, D.C. Goswami and Sri R.P. Mahato Dy. G.S. The union vehemently criticized the State Govt. and Management for its wrong power policy for which the power scenario of the state is declining day to day. Both the State Govt. and Management internationally closed the Generation of the Chandrapur and Bongaigaon Power Station and the construction of the Kerbi Longpi Hydel Project making artificial power crisis in the State and Assam Electricity Bill-2003 passed to pave the way for privatisation of the Project.

In ASEB in a significant development the Unions and Associations functioning in ASEB united and formed the Assam Branch of the National Coordination of Electricity Employees and Engineers. The NCCOEE&E, Assam Branch vehemently protest the Electricity Bill-2003 and already launched the protest programmes which includes Black Badge wearing on 6^th May and staged DHARNA on 12^th May through the state and extend full support to the All India General strike on 21^st May. It may be mentioned that a group of employees under ASEB Technical Workers Union affiliated to INTUC did not joined in the united movement.

In ASEB the respond of the strike is very spontaneous, all the Administrative office are collapsed. But in the interest of public and prevailing Law & Order situation of the State and following a discussion with the ASEB Management of 19^th May, the essential service were exempted from the strike.