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Employees protest Centre's move to corporatize ordnance factories
Employees protest Centre’s move to corporatize ordnance factories
While the Indian Ordnance Factories celebrated 220 Annual Day on Thursday in all the 41 ordnance factories located in different States, the three recognised Defence Civilian Employees Federation - All India Defence Employees Federation (AIDEF), Indian National Defence Workers Federation (INDWF) and Bhartiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh (BPMS) observed 'Save Ordnance Factories Day', a symbolical protest against the Union government's move to privatise the ordnance factories
While the Indian Ordnance Factories celebrated 220 Annual Day on Thursday in all the 41 ordnance factories located in different States, the three recognised Defence Civilian Employees Federation - All India Defence Employees Federation (AIDEF), Indian National Defence Workers Federation (INDWF) and Bhartiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh (BPMS) observed 'Save Ordnance Factories Day', a symbolical protest against the Union government's move to privatise the ordnance factories.
The federations mailed a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to rethink the move in the interest of the country.
"The ordnance factory manufactures a wide range of products required for the Army including battlefield tanks, all types of weapons, small arms, vehicles, troop comfort items such as battlefield uniforms, body armour, electronic equipment and parachutes, etc. These ordnance factories have played a vital role in all the wars the country has faced after independence.
The government of India instead of encouraging and strengthening the ordnance factories have started diluting their role by declaring 275 products as non-core and these products are outsourced to private sectors. Due to the decision of the government the Army is struggling to get quality products on schedule from manufacturers since they are not in a position to supply them. On one side the ordnance factories are struggling without orders and on the other side the private sector is not able to fulfil the requirements of the armed forces," said C. Srikumar, General Secretary, AIDEF.
AIDEF states that the government took advantage of the pandemic and went ahead with converting the 41 ordnance factories into a corporation and list it on the share market for sale. AIDEF, INDWF, BPMS and other trade unions and associations have issued an indefinite strike notice which was to commence on October 12, 2020. However, after the intervention of the Central Labour Commission the strike was deferred.
"However, unfortunately on one hand the government is negotiating with the federations and on the other it is going ahead with its decision which is a clear violation of the conciliation settlement. Now it is understood that steps are being taken by the Ministry of Defence to issue a notification for converting the ordnance factories into a corporation," Srikumar added. The federations are slated to meet shortly to decide future course of action.
