MeECL to contest HC order on equal pay for equal work

Shillong, July 25: The Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) management is likely to file an appeal against a recent judgment by a single bench of the High Court of Meghalaya directing the corporation to implement “equal pay for equal work”.
A senior official of the Power department on Thursday told The Shillong Times that the legal team is taking time to thoroughly examine the order since the court has given two months to the corporation to comply with the directive.
According to the official, the legal team has told the MeECL management that they have a strong case for filing an appeal against the judgment.
“We will file an appeal before the division bench of the High Court of Meghalaya once we take a final decision,” the official said.
It may be mentioned that more than 1,300 casual and contractual workers of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) are expected to benefit from the judgment.
Cleaners, peons, lower divisional assistants, meter readers, bill clerks, linemen, and junior divisional assistants will be among those who will benefit.
After hearing a petition filed by the MeECL Progressive Workers’ Union (MPWU), the Justice Wanlura Diengdoh-headed single bench of the High Court had on July 15 passed an order directing the MeECL to take necessary action for ensuing that the members of the petitioner/union, whose names can be found at Annexure- A/3, are paid equal pay for equal work.
“The same to be completed preferably within a period of 2(two) months from the date of receipt of the certified copy of this judgment and order,” Justice Diengdoh had stated in the order.
MPWU president Mantiphrang Lyngdoh Kiri, while describing the judgment as “historic”, said this entitles the longstanding casual workers of MeECL to the same basic salary structure and accompanying entitlements as permanent workers doing the work of similar nature.