Thiruvananthapuram : In a significant development for India’s energy sector workers, representatives from major energy federations convened today at B.T.R.. Memorial in Thiruvananthapuram for a historic joint meeting aimed at coordinating their struggles across the coal, petroleum, and electricity sectors.
The meeting, attended by leaders from the All India Coal Workers’ Federation (AICWF), Petroleum & Gas Workers’ Federation of India (PGWFI) and Electricity Employees’ Federation of India (EEFI), resolved to organise the workers of energy sectors together to launch a coordinated struggle to protect the energy security and sovereignty of our country and the rights and welfare of energy sector workers nationwide.
A preparatory committee towards the National Forum of Energy Sector Workers has been formed with Elamaram Kareem as Chairman, Swadesh Devroye, Pradeep Mayekar and GK Shrivastav as Deputy Chairpersons, and DD Ramanandan, Nogen Chutia and Sudip Dutta as Conveners.
The meeting discussed the policy attacks on the energy sector as a whole and the importance of defending the public interest. The most significant outcome of today’s deliberations was the unanimous decision to organize a National Convention of Energy Workers, including both permanent and contract workers, to be held in Delhi by the month of November, 2025. This convention aims to amplify the collective voice of energy sector workers across the country against privatization and contractualisation of the energy sector as well as protecting energy security of the nation.
It is also decided to undertake a detailed study to demystify the current energy transition narrative and also to expand union activities among renewable and allied workforce and retail/peripheral workforces.
Elamaram Kareem provided introductory remarks, followed by the presentation of a background note by Swadesh DevRoye and a supplementary note by Sudip Dutta, General Secretary of EEFI.
Key interventions were made by DD Ramanandan, General Secretary of AICWF, and Nogen Chutia, General Secretary of PGWFI. Deepa K Rajan, Pradeep Mayekar, GK Shrivastav, M G Suresh Kumar, Pradeep Sreedharan, RP Singh, Amal Bhattacharyya, B Balagopal, and MG Aji also spoke during the session.
