As most of the employees in the Defence Ministry’s 41 production units, including the Ordnance Factory and Heavy Alloy Penetrator Project (HAPP) in Tiruchi, have voted against the Centre’s move for corporatisation, the federations of defence civilian employees unanimously issued a notice on Tuesday for commencement of indefinite strike from October 12.
The Joint Action Committee of employee unions in HAPP has announced a demonstration in front of the main gate on August 5, followed by wearing of black badges on August 6, lunch boycott on August 7 and observance of Save India Day by distributing hand bills on August 8.
The strike notice was jointly issued by All India Defence Employees' Federation (AIDEF), Indian National Defence Workers' Federation (INDWF) and Bharatiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh (BPMS), on Tuesday to coincide with the date of opening of tender (Expression of Interest cum Request for Proposal) by the Department of Defence Production for deciding the selection of consultant for processing the corporatisation of ordnance factories.
The dates for issue of strike notice and the commencement of indefinite strike was taken after detailed discussions by functionaries of AIDEF, INDWF, BPMS and CDRA (Confederation of Defence Recognised Associations) on July 28.
They had conveyed to the Secretary of Defence Production that the indefinite strike notice would be issued if their concerns were not addressed by the Defence Ministry before July 31.
In the run-up to the indefinite strike, the trade unions have planned to step up campaigns against corporatisation in the premises of the factories through section-wise meetings during lunch time, approaching individual employees, and publication of pamphlets and posters.
Trade unions of defence employees will also extend solidarity and support to the one-day strike planned by coal workers on August 18 against privatisation of coal mines, General Secretary of AIDEF C. Srikumar said.