Employees associations of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) have opposed the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) floated by the company management. The employee unions under the All India Coordination Committee of BPCL Workers is also planning a two-day flash strike against the VRS and proposed privatisation of the public sector undertakin (PSU).

In a circular to its members, the All India Coordination Committee of BPCL Workers said, “All unions of Marketing, Mumbai and Kochi Refinery in their video-conferencing meeting held on Friday (July 24), unanimously decided to intensify the agitation and non-cooperation movement. It has also been decided to go for two-day flash strike all over India to protest against management of BPCL...and we are also opposing the privatisation of BPCL.”

“All our members are advised not to opt for VRS scheme proposed by the management of BPCL,” the circular said.

Opposing privatisation

Listing their concerns, the All India Coordination Committee of BPCL Workers said, “...Workmen will not get a clear idea about their financial package. It is also not sure whether any wage settlement will be signed before privatisation. You should not fall prey to the imaginary financial package shown by the management. We want real figure to advise our members.”

“The wage agreement expired on December 31, 2016 in Mumbai Refinery, May 31, 2018 in Marketing and July 31, 2018 on Kochi Refinery but till now there is no settlement,” the circular said.

The BPCL management floated a VRS for company employees on July 23 this year. While this is not the first time that a VRS is being offered in BPCL, it gains more prominence in light of an impending privatisation of the PSU.

BPCL holds around 15 per cent of India’s crude oil refining capacity and 22 per cent of the fuel marketing share. Employees of the company over 45 years of age have time till till August 13, 2020 to opt for the VRS.

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