Assurances To OFB Employees During Corporatization To Protect Service Conditions Only On Paper, Federations Allege

After 25 days of the implementation of the Government decision to disintegrate the 41 Ordnance Factories in to 7 Corporations. While taking this decision the Cabinet has decided that “till such time the employees remain on deemed deputation to the new Corporations they shall continue to be subject to all rules & regulations as are applicable to Central Government servants. Their pay scales, allowances, leave, medical facilities, career progression and other service conditions will also continue to be governed by the extant rules, regulations and orders as are applicable to central government employees”.

This was reiterated by the Government in its order dated. 24/09/2021. However, from the day one the employees are facing innumerable number of problems in their service matters and conditions including non-settlement of their medical claims due to non-availability of funds. Compassionate appointment to the wards of the deceased employees are also being withheld. Hospital employees are asked to work for additional hours without any overtime benefit. Working hours and office hours are being abruptly changed by the Corporations.

According to the Federations (AIDEF, BPMS & CDRA) these are all a blatant violation of the Cabinet decision and that the Corporations are taking law in to their hands. They have already submitted many representations to the Secretary(DP). Since there is no response from the DDP, on 24/10/2021 they have issued two separate letter to the Secretary(DP) in one of the letter they have charged that 76,000 employees are subjected to harassment, torture and many employees have gone to depression stage. They have also quoted that one women employee of OCF Avadi at the age of 49 years have died due to massive Cardiac arrest immediately after reaching home from the Factory.

The Federations have also criticized about the decision taken by the Directorate of ordnance which issued options to the employees of erstwhile OFB Hqrs., asking them to opt to join any one of the 7 Corporations. Against this move there was a protest at the Headquarter, Kolkata and thereafter, the Director General Ordnance have assured to constitute a committee.

The Federations have also issued a notice of agitation against the arbitrary and unilateral decisions taken by the 7 Corporations and Directorate of Ordnance(C&S). The Federations have submitted a charter of 17 demands and have requested that necessary instructions may be issued to settle all the 17 demands within 10 days failing which the Federations will be forced to launch various Trade Union Action programmes against the anti labour attitude of the DDP/Directorate/Corporations.

www.indianpsu.com is in the possession of the joint circular sent by the federations to Secretary (DP)