Bengaluru: Ordnance Factories staff strike from October 12

Bengaluru: Already miffed at the central government's decision on May 16 to corporatise the ordnance factories, and Heavy Alloy Penetrator Project (HAPP), over 80,000 of its workforce across the country would go on a hunger strike on Gandhi Jayanti.

The employees have decided to go ahead on an indefinite strike from October 12.

"All the trade unions and federations have served strike notice on the government demanding withdrawal of its decision. The strike will commence at 6 am. So far the federations at the national level have submitted more than 20 representations to the President, Prime Minister, defence minister and defence secretary. However, the government is all set to corporatise the Ordnance Factories," C Srikumar, General secretary, All India Defence Employees Association (AIDEF) said.

The defence federations call the decision of the central government arbitrary and in violation of all the previous agreements with the Trade Unions.

"The Ordnance Factories should treated as War Reserve at par with the Army, Navy and Air Force. The Ordnance Factories are not a commercial organisation. The government's plan is to convert the Ordnance Factories into a Corporation and then to handover the same to the private corporate since the Government has already decided 100% private participation in Defence and 72% FDI. This decision of the Government is against the National Security and Defence preparedness of the country. The Trade Unions are therefore opposing the move of the Government," the AIDEF stated.