Haridwar BHEL union seeks ₹70,000 Diwali bonus by 1 November, warns of protest over meeting delay

The Heavy Electrical Workers Trade Union has asked BHEL management to pay employees a minimum Diwali bonus of ₹70,000 by 1 November. The union also wants management to schedule a joint committee meeting and has warned of a protest if the date is not announced within one week.

The demands were raised during a meeting at the union office in Sector 3, Haridwar. Members discussed the bonus issue along with several workplace and employee welfare concerns.

Demand for an offline meeting

The union opposed the proposal for an online joint committee meeting. It asked BHEL management to hold the meeting offline, as was done previously, so that the bonus amount and other employee concerns can be discussed directly.

The meeting was chaired by union president and former MLA Ramyash Singh. He said several public-sector companies had already announced Diwali bonuses for their employees, while BHEL management had not yet fixed a date for the joint committee meeting.

Singh called for the meeting to be convened soon and for the bonus amount to be finalised. The union said it would consider agitation if management failed to announce the meeting date within one week.

Employee issues raised by the union

Union general secretary Vikas Singh said discussions with management would be held soon to address employee problems. He also raised demands concerning recruitment and assistance for employees’ families.

The union sought an increase in the quota for children of deceased employees under artisan recruitment. It asked that the quota be restored from 15% to 25% and that children of serving employees receive separate reservation. It also demanded continued financial assistance for dependants of employees who died during the coronavirus period.

Acting president Ravi Kashyap demanded overtime payment for employees assigned duties on holidays or Sundays. Acting president Subhash Purohit called for improvements in the canteen, recruitment of doctors at the hospital, better hospital facilities and the early distribution of laptops.

BHEL Shramik Union general secretary Sachin Chauhan raised concerns about incentives, maintenance in the suburban area, road repairs and water supply. These demands were discussed alongside the bonus issue at the meeting.

The meeting was conducted by Rakesh Malviya. Union office-bearers and members, including Markandey Singh, Sandeep Singhania, Chandramohan Baghel, Sumit Garg, Sunil Kumar, Naveen Giri, Mohit, Satendra Pratap Singh, Bhagat Rawat, Ajitpal Singh, Prahlad Chauhan, Ajay Singh, Gopal Rathi and Babulal, were present.

What happens next

The immediate next step sought by the union is an announcement from BHEL management on the date of the joint committee meeting. The union has linked that timeline to its warning of agitation and wants the bonus decision taken before 1 November.

Conclusion

The union is seeking a minimum ₹70,000 Diwali bonus by 1 November, an offline joint committee meeting and action on several employee welfare demands. It has warned of agitation if the meeting date is not announced within one week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What bonus has the union demanded for BHEL employees?

The union has demanded a minimum Diwali bonus of ₹70,000 for employees.

Q. By when does the union want the bonus paid?

It has demanded that the bonus be paid by 1 November.

Q. What has the union said about the joint committee meeting?

The union has opposed an online meeting and requested an offline meeting, as held previously.

Q. What will happen if the meeting date is not announced?

The union has warned that it will launch an agitation if the date is not announced within one week.

Q. Who chaired the union meeting?

Union president and former MLA Ramyash Singh chaired the meeting.

Q. What recruitment-related demands were raised?

The union sought restoration of the quota for children of deceased employees from 15% to 25% and separate reservation for children of serving employees.

Q. Which workplace issues were discussed?

The demands included overtime payments, canteen improvements, hospital staffing and facilities, laptop distribution, incentives, road repairs, maintenance and water supply.