CHANDIGARH, 25 June — In a strong show of opposition to the proposed privatisation of India’s power sector and continued neglect of employee demands, electricity workers and engineers from across the northern states have announced a nationwide strike on July 9. The decision was taken unanimously during a convention organised under the banner of the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEE), the apex body representing electricity sector workers.
The convention, held in Chandigarh, saw participation from union leaders and workers representing Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. It was convened to galvanise collective action against what the participants called “a systemic push to privatise public assets” and to highlight the Centre’s failure to address long-standing demands of the workforce.
“The Central Government is in a hurry to hand over the power sector to private hands. A group of ministers has already been formed and a Bill is expected to be introduced in Parliament during the Monsoon Session,” said NCCOEE convenor Sudeep Dutta. “Against this, 27 lakh electricity workers and engineers will go on a nationwide general strike on July 9.”
Leaders from various power unions echoed the sentiment, criticising what they described as “deliberate neglect” of public sector energy infrastructure and the marginalisation of those who keep it running.
Among those who addressed the gathering were Electricity Employees Federation of India vice-president Subhash Lamba; All Haryana Power Corporations Worker Union chairman Devendra Singh Hooda; HPSEBL (Himachal) president Kameshwar Sharma; TSU (Punjab) general secretary Kulwinder Singh Dhillon; PSEB (AITUC) general secretary Surendra Pal Singh Loharia; and UT Powerman Union (Chandigarh) leaders Amrik Singh and Gopal Dutt Joshi.
“The government is not only bypassing employees in key decisions, but is also systematically weakening the public power sector,” said Lamba. “This is not just a strike by workers—it’s a movement to protect the nation’s energy sovereignty.”
The convention also passed a resolution condemning the Uttar Pradesh Government’s decision to privatise the Purvanchal and Dakshinchal Discoms. In a show of nationwide solidarity, it was decided that workers would hold demonstrations across India on July 2 in support of their counterparts in UP who are currently protesting the state’s privatisation push.
Poonam Kundu, a member of the EEFI General Council, described the July 9 strike as a “non-negotiable step” in the face of what she termed “a forced dismantling of a public utility in the name of reform.”
“This government has shown no interest in dialogue. The proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill threatens the very framework of equitable access to energy,” Kundu said.
To build momentum and ensure public awareness, the NCCOEE also announced joint meetings involving both electricity consumers and employees across the country. These forums will discuss how privatisation could lead to higher tariffs, reduced service accountability, and job losses.
“This is not just our battle. Consumers will also suffer under privatisation. Higher bills, profit-driven service, and reduced grievance redressal will become the norm,” warned Kulwinder Singh Dhillon of Punjab’s TSU.
The union leaders argue that the government’s attempts to push legislation without wide consultation undermine federal principles and risk endangering a critical public service. They also highlighted how previous experiences with privatisation in other sectors had led to job insecurity, reduced benefits, and wage stagnation for workers.
The July 9 strike is expected to have wide-reaching implications for electricity supply and maintenance operations across India. Unions are currently preparing notices to be sent to state and central authorities, and warning that the strike could impact power supply infrastructure unless meaningful dialogue is initiated.
“We are not against reform—but reform should not come at the cost of workers or the public good,” said Surendra Pal Singh Loharia of PSEB. “This blanket push for privatisation is neither in the interest of the sector nor the people.”
Union members have also expressed concern that privatisation may sideline rural and low-income regions where profit margins are thinner, thus risking selective service access.
The July 9 strike, backed by an estimated 2.7 million electricity workers and engineers, could be one of the largest coordinated industrial actions in the sector in recent years. Its success will depend on how far unions are able to mobilise support among the public and how the government responds in the coming weeks.
As preparations ramp up, the call is clear—unless the government reconsiders its privatisation push and addresses workers’ long-standing demands, India’s power grid may fall silent in protest.
