2 More Federations Give Clarion Call Indefinite Strike Against Corporatization Of OFB

As www.indianpsu.com has already informed our viewers the Ordnance Factory employees and their Trade Unions are getting more and more support for their indefinite strike against Corporatization of Ordnance Factories. Initially the strike action was spearheaded by the three recognized Federations of the Defence Civilian Employees namely AIDEF, INDWF and BPMS. Now the LPF and TUCC affiliated NPDEF and Bahujan Samaj Party’s AIBDEF have also join hands with the recognized Federations. A joint meeting of all the 5 Federations AIDEF, INDWF, BPMS, NPDEF and AIBDEF was held on 27.06.2021 and have unanimously taken a decision to fight till the last against the retrograde decision taken by the Government. Already all the Central Trade Unions including AITUC, INTUC, HMS, CITU and BMS and Federations like AIRF, AIBEA and Confederation of Central Government Employees have extended their support to the struggle started by the Federations to save the Ordnance Factories and its Employees. The Staff Side of the National Council (JCM) which represents 32 lakh Central Government Employees have also jointly protested to the Cabinet Secretary against the Government’s decision. The Federations have now decided to approach all the State Chief Ministers and all Political Parties seeking their support against this decision which was taken without any application of mind. In a press release issued jointly by the 5 Federations, they have informed that the following decisions are taken unanimously by them.

1) Federations  and  Unions  to  serve  the  Indefinite  Notice  on  08/07/2021  and  to  commence  the  Indefinite  strike  from 6 AM  of  26/07/2021 . Since  it  is  a  revival  of  the  deferred  indefinite  strike  no  strike  ballot  is  required  to be  taken  and  no  six  weeks  notice  is  to  be  given.  Model  strike  notice  /  revival  intimation letter  will be  forwarded  to  all the  Unions  for  issuing  the  strike  notice.  The  Federations  will issue  joint  strike notice  and  independent  strike notice  to  the  Government.

2) During  the  intervening  period  campaigning  programmes  and  mobilisation programmes  should  be  conducted  by  the  local  Joint  Action  Committees.  All the  left out  unions  at  the  factory  level  should  be included  in  the Joint  Action Committee.

3) Letters  seeking  support  from  all the  Chief  Ministers  and  leaders  of  the political parties, Members  of  the  Parliamentary  Defence Standing Committee etc.,  will be  issued  both  jointly  by  the Federations  and  also  by  the  local  Joint  Action  Committees  in  the  respective  states.

4) Unions  of  other  Directorates  to observe  solidarity  and  support  programmes  including  one  day  strike  to be  decided  by  the Federations.

5) National  level  campaigning  programmes  to be  conducted  from  08/07/2021  will be  finalised  shortly. In the  meantime  local  level  gate  meetings, posterings, press coverage,  campaigning  through  social  media,  demonstrations  etc  by the local  level  Joint  Action  Committee  should  be  decided  and  implemented.

6) Affiliated  Unions  may  keep  their  Federations  informed  about  all the  action  programmes  and  suggestions, if  any  for intensifying  the  agitation.

7) The  meeting  thanked  the  Central Trade Unions  and also  the Staff Side  of  the  National Council JCM  for  extending  all support  to  the  struggle  of  the  employees  of  Ordnance Factories.

The Federations have communicated their decision to Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister. The Federations of Defence Employees have now blown the bugle against the Government decision which the Federations says as a historical mistake and historical blunder, whereas Rajnath Singh says it is a historical decision. Who is correct, who is wrong we have to wait and watch.