AITUC Joins The Chorus Against Corporatization Of Ordnance Factories and EDSO – 2021

AITUC National Working Committee has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the EDSA 21 and Corporatisation of Ordnance Factories. The National Working Committee Meeting of AITUC is underway at Nagpur today and tomorrow. After the General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur placed her report on the political developments and Sector wise issues C. Srikumar National Working Committee Member of AITUC moved a resolution urging the Prime Minister to withdraw the draconian EDSA 21 and the Corporatisation of Ordnance Factories which was adopted unanimously. The text of the resolution is published here for the benefit of the viewers of www.indianpsu.com –

The National Working Committee Meeting of the AITUC held at Nagpur on the 21st and 22nd of Nov 2021 have taken a serious note of the attack on the Trade Union rights and fundamental rights of peaceful emonstration/protest of Defence Civilian Employees and all the services connected with the defence through the draconian Essential Defence Services Act 2021 passed by the Parliament without holding any discussion. It is also noted with serious concern that the various sections of the EDSA 2021 infringe upon the right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1) (a) of the Constitution of India. The right to strike is a legal and statutory right of the Defence Civilian Employees under the Industrial Dispute Act 1947. Immediately after the promulgation of EDSO, 2021, AITUC has immediately lodged a complaint with ILO and ILO have also intervened and asked explanation of the Govt. of India.

The National Woking Committee of AITUC have also noted with concern that the term “strike” under the EDSA 2021 has been widened to include protest actions like “mass casual leave” or “refusal to do overtime” and use of the words “such other actions” gives uncanalised power to the Government to determine what constitute a strike. Further, the terms “Essential Defence Services” is also over broad and is capable of including any and every kind of establishment or units and again wide and unguided discretion to the Government is being provided.

The National Working Committee of AITUC condemns the criminalisation of the statutory right of the workers and also withdrawal of the constitutional liberties and safeguards enshrined in the Constitution of India. The AITUC therefore, urges upon the Government of India to immediately withdraw the draconian EDSA 2021 and to deal the Industrial dispute raised by the Federations of the Defence Civilian Employees through the route of ID Act 1947.

The National Executive Committee of the AITUC also condemns the unilateral and biased decision taken by the Modi Government to splinter the 220 years old Indian Ordnance Factories into 7 non viable corporations/ companies with the ulterior motive of handing over this most strategical defence industry to the private corporates at throw away prices. The Government have totally violated and ignored all the previous assurances and agreements with the federations by the previous five Defence Ministers and have taken this whimsical decision without considering its impact on the national security and defence preparedness of our country. Post corporatisation of the Ordnance Factories, the employees are facing lot of problems in their day to day service matters even though the cabinet decision says that all their service conditions will be protected for two years till they are on deemed deputation. Even the Industrial Relation machineries are not functioning in the Indian Ordnance Factories. The AITUC congratulates the leadership of AIDEF for challenging both the unilateral decision of the Government i.e. challenging the EDSA 2021 at Delhi High Court and the decision of the Corporatisation in the Madras High Court and also for relentlessly fighting against the anti workers and anti national policies of the Modi Government by forging a broader trade union unity.

The National executive committee of AITUC urges upon the Government of India to withdraw the unilateral decision taken by the Government to Corporatize the Ordnance Factories in the interest of the national security and
defence preparedness of the country. AITUC also urges upon the Government of India to not violate the Cabinet decision for protection of the service condition of the employees and also to ensure the functioning of Industrial relation machineries in the Ordnance Factories. AITUC once again reiterates its full support and solidarity to the Defence Civilian Employees of Ordnance Factories in their historical struggle to save the Ordnance Factories and its employees from the present crisis created by the Modi Government.