Hyderabad: Medak Ordnance Factory has joined the band of 41 factories of Ordnance Factory Board comprising 80,000 workers, in a call for a month-long strike against the corporatisation of the factory Board.
This comes after the factory's request not to corporatise the Board, was turned down. Meanwhile Ordnance Factory Board is determined to make the move in order to have operational freedom, autonomy in decision making, enhance productivity and to explore the export potential of its products.
The month long strike in response to the call given by the three recognised defence federations, began on Monday. Naresh Kumar, union member OFB said, “We demand that the ordnance factories must remain government departments and should not be converted as public sector establishments. It should continue to function as a departmental organisation such as the Indian Railways, ISRO and the Department of Atomic Energy.”
The members are fearing that their pensions, health schemes and other provisions like the defence canteens may get affected.
“The Centre has not consulted us before taking this step. All employees are against making the OFB into a public sector enterprise,” added P. J Reddy, union member, Ordnance Factory Board.
Giving no indication that the government might call the strike off, Saurabh Kumar of the Ordnance Factory Board said, “The policy of corporatisation of ordnance factories by Government of India is aimed at providing greater flexibility in day-to-day functioning, increased operational freedom and autonomy in decision making, leading to enhanced productivity. This will enable the ordnance factories in the country to respond faster to the futuristic needs of the armed forces and provide an impetus to the export potential of its products.”
