Corporatisation: Ordnance Factory employees to go on indefinite strike

All the Trade Unions and Federations of the 41 Ordnance Factories under the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) have served a notice to the Centre on Tuesday that they will hold an indefinite strike from October 12.

The BMS, the trade union that supports the BJP-led Government has also decided to strike in support of the three demands, that include withdrawal of that the proposed move to convert the departmentally run ordnance factories into a Corporation/PSU.

Expert panel mooted

The unions said such a move violates the commitments given by the Centre and Union Defence Ministers in the past in the various forums and also in a meeting held with Secretary, Defence Production last year.

The Unions have urged the Centre to set up an expert committee for studying the requirement and methodology for improving the efficiency, performance, productivity, accountability of the top management, integration of various functions, independent R&D of OFB.

“Not to proceed further for converting the OFB into a public sector entity which will adversely affect the existing benefits / rights which the employees of ordnance factories and the future entrants are eligible as Central Government Employees / Defence Civilian Employees, with entitlement of subsequent benefits/rights granted to Central Government Employees/Defence Civilian Employees by Government of India from time to time and continue to be paid from the Defence Services estimates/consolidated fund of India,” the demands charter said.