The CITU-backed KSEB Workers' Association (KSEBWA) has emerged the lone recognised trade union in the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). Winning 53.42% of the votes, the KSEBWA has also secured the position of 'sole bargaining agent' in the process.
The AITUC and INTUC unions in the State power utility have lost their recognition, having failed to garner 15% of the votes, the minimum required to make it constituents of the joint bargaining council. The results of the referendum held on April 28 were declared on Saturday.
The KSEBWA, in fact, increased its vote share from 47.51 % to 53.42% this time. A trade union needs more than 51% to gain this position, as per the provisions of the Kerala Recognition of Trade Unions Act, 2010, and Rules, 2011.
The KSEBWA bagged 13,634 votes. In all, 25,523 employees in the workmen category had cast their votes.
The AITUC-backed Kerala Electricity Workers' Federation (KEWF) received 14.93% of the votes, while INTUC faction United Democratic Electricity Employees' Front (UDEEF) had to settle for 14.87% of the votes this time.
In the previous referendum held in 2015, the KSEBWA had won 47.51% votes, UDEEF 24.82%, and KEWF 16.5%.
For the 2022 edition, there were seven trade unions in the fray, including two factions of the INTUC. The rest of the results are as follows: INTUC-backed Kerala Electricity Workers' Union (5.63% of votes), BMS-backed Kerala Vydyuthi Mazdoor Sangh (8.26%), Kerala Electricity Executive Staff Organisation (2.47%) and Kerala Employees' Federation (0.05%). Of the 25,523 votes polled, 25,413 were valid and 110, invalid.
