WBPDCL contract workers get Rs 3K monthly pay hike

Kolkata: In a festive boost for around 5,000 workers in the state power sector, a long-pending Charter of Demands (COD) of contract workers serving under various units of the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Ltd (WBPDCL) has finally been settled after 21 months.

The agreement will result in a hike of about Rs 3,000 per month in their remuneration.

“A tripartite agreement has recently been signed by our department, the management, and the operating trade unions of these units. It will take effect from January 1, 2024, and remain valid for four years, till December 2027,” a Labour Department officer said.

The agreement covers workers from five WBPDCL units—Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station (Birbhum), Bandel Thermal Power Station (Hooghly), Kolaghat Thermal Power Station (East Midnapore), Santaldih Thermal Power Station (Purulia) and Sagardighi Thermal Power Project (Murshidabad).

Besides the wage increase, the workers will also get enhanced benefits relating to leave accumulation, leave encashment and other entitlements.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Ashis Sarkar, state Additional Labour Commissioner, who acted as the conciliation officer. Senior officials of WBPDCL, including B.K. Mandal (director, HR) and Dhruba Dasgupta (general manager, HR), along with Arijit Mondal, general secretary of the Trinamool Congress Power Employees Union, and other INTTUC leaders from the five districts, were also present.

Both the trade unions and the WBPDCL management have expressed satisfaction over the settlement and thanked the state Labour Commissionerate for its efforts in facilitating the resolution.