Ordnance factory workers call off strike after govt assurance

The 30-day strike called by ordnance factory employees was called off on Saturday following an assurance by government officials that a panel will be formed to look into their concerns.

Employees of 41 ordnance factories across the country had begun a strike on August 20 against government's plans to corporatise them as private sector entities.

The strike was called off following a series of dialogues between representatives of various employees' federations and senior officials of the defence production department.

"The workers were reaffirmed that the proposed corporatisation of the Ordnance Factory Board, which is the parent organisation of all 41 factories, is under examination. Workers will join duty from Monday," said a senior Defence Ministry official.

Defence Ministry officials, during the course of the dialogues, took cognizance of various issues raised by the employees' federations regarding changes in wages, health facilities and other service matters that are likely to be affected by corporatisation.

A recommendation will be sent to the government to set up a high-level official committee to interact with employees' federations to examine their concerns and other aspects of the proposed new entity.

The Union government had proposed to convert ordnance factories into public sector units in order to boost production, increase profitability, bring about competitiveness and generate more jobs in the sector.