Defence employees take pledge against govt's move to corporatize ordnance factories

The Federations of Trade Unions of the Defence Civilian Employees - All India Defence Employees Federation (AIDEF), Indian National Defence Workers Federation (INDWF) and Bhartiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh (BPMS) and the Associations have been relentlessly fighting against the Union government's decision to privatise ordnance factories. After the announcement of the government's decision to corporatise 219 years old Indian ordnance factories the 79,000 strong workforce has rejected the move.

The three recognised defence federations of civilian employees threatened to go an indefinite strike from October 12, 2020. However, after the intervention of the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) a conciliation settlement was reached on October 9, 2020 and the strike was deferred. "On one hand the government is holding dialogue with the federations and on the other it is going ahead with its decision to convert ordnance factories into a corporation.

Today, since Empowered Group of Ministers (EGOM), consisting of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Law Minister Ravishankar Prasad, Labour Minister Santhosh Gangwar and DOP&T Minister Dr Jitender Singh, are meeting to discuss the modalities of corporatization of ordnance factories, the federations have decided to observe a pledge taking day by more than 79,000 employees against corporatization of ordnance factories," the joint statement of the federations read.

The employees would oppose the corporatisation of the ordnance factories, a move they believe would jeopardize the strategic assets of the nation. It will be sent to the defence minister.