PDB employees in 21 dists prepare for agitation

The government in a circular on October 1 this year turned PDB in the 21 districts into the West Zone Power Distribution Company.

The company has offered pay scales, benefits and service rules which violate the agreement it signed with the government and the PDB CBA (Collective Bargaining Agent) on October 4, they said.

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Tension is mounting in all PDB compounds since the company put forward its proposals in the first week of this month, PDB's Barisal CBA Secretary GM Faruk told this correspondent on Saturday.

The CBA has rejected the proposals and put forward its own proposals to the company authorities, he said.

The CBAs in Barisal and Khulna PDB zonal offices have urged the company not to implementation the new pay scale and service rules, he said.

"We have sent formal letters to the authorities in Dhaka and are awaiting a reply.

"We will announce a movement programme if the reply is not satisfactory", Faruk said.

The tripartite agreement said there would be no termination, salaries of all employees and workers will increase and post-service benefits given.

All these have been violated in the proposed service rules, Faruk said.

The agreement provided for a highest and lowest salary ratio of 1:10. The company has proposed a ratio of 1:16.

The company Secretary will get a pay package of about Tk 1 lakh with a basic pay of Tk 50,000.

On other hand workers will get a salary of Tk 6000 with a basic pay of 3000. There is no provision for overtime allowance for workers.

The Managing Director and the Deputy Managing Director will get "actual" medical allowance but employees and workers will get Tk 1000 to 3000, he said.

As per the service rules, workers will be appointed for five years on contract basis after a probationary period. Their service will be extended on five-year terms depending on performance.

Seniority will not be counted. Extension of service will depend on merit and experience.

A worker can accumulate earned leave for 90 days only, but that also depends on the will of the company.

"We have demanded immediate cancellation of the proposals and submitted our proposals to the authorities in Dhaka.

"We have demanded a lowest salary of Tk 15000. We have also demanded five per cent profit, Tk 3000 monthly conveyance for miter readers, Tk 300 washing allowance and 10 per cent extra city house rent allowance".

He said Khulna CBA Secretary Md Mazibur Rahman in a letter to the authorities in Dhaka has also rejected the company's offer.