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Ordnance Factory Worker’s Union Begins Month-Long Strike To Protest Government’s Corporatisation Plans
A line of the Indian Army version of Mine Protected Vehicles (MPV) during a flagging off ceremony at Ordnance Factory in Medak District some 60kms from Hyderabad on October 30, 2009. (NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images)
Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) workers across the country have began a month-long strike to protest the government’s plan to ‘corporatise’ the organisation calling it a step in its eventual privatisation, PTI has reported.
"The strike commenced at 6 am on Tuesday. It is set to continue for one month, till September 20, if a solution is not reached before that. The federations urge the Centre to reconsider its decision to corporatise the ordnance factories and withdraw the same in the interest of the defence preparedness of our country and also the service life of 82,000 employees," a statement released by the employee associations read.
The Defence Ministry, however, has rejected the claims of eventual privatisation and has said that the step will help optimise the organisation’s day-to-day functioning.
The Ministry had earlier released a statement on the same, "The committee explained to the employee organisations that there is no proposal to privatise OFB. The Centre is considering a proposal to make it a Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), which is 100 per cent government-owned."
"This will enable the ordnance factories to respond faster to the futuristic needs of the Armed Forces and provide an impetus to the export potential of its products," said OFB chairman Saurabh Kumar.
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