PORT MORESBY Papua New Guinea AP Electrical workers have imposed power blackouts across the country for the second day in a row as a national strike by trade unions to protest the government's 1999 budget continues. The strike which was called by trade union members last Friday in defiance of Papua New Guinea Trade Union Congress leaders began with only intermittent industrial action but appears to be gathering momentum. About 1300 workers employed by Papua New Guinea's main power supplier Elcom have cut power to all residences and businesses throughout the country from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Elcom National Staff Association general secretary Philip Kaira said the blackouts may be reviewed and the power unions may change their strategy. ``Now we may just focus on government bodies who have a huge outstanding debts to Elcom'' Kaira said. ``We may shift our strategy and hit cut off power to all those customers who owe large sums of money to Elcom in unpaid bills.'' Kaira said the unions may disconnect power supplies to government buildings and offices including Parliament House in Port Moresby. The unions have called for Prime Minister Bill Skate's government to redraft its budget which slashes spending across most government departments axes 7000 public service jobs and abolishes key research institutions. Skate has refused to redraft the budget and claims that the national strike is not based on industrial issues but is politically motivated and illegal. pjs APW19981201.1158.txt.body.html APW19981201.1437.txt.body.html