Oil PSU officers to go on strike from January 7

Calling a ministerial group formed to look into their demand for higher pay an eyewash, PSU oil firm executives today said they will go on indefinite strike from January 7.

The Oil Sector Officers’ Association (OSOA), an amalgamation of the officers’ unions of 14 PSU oil firms, said the November wage hike approved by the government worked out to only 17 per cent.

“It’s do-or-die this time. The officers feel betrayed by the numerous unkept promises made by ministers,” OSOA President Amit Kumar told reporters here.

He said the group — comprising Home Minister P Chidambaram, Oil Minister Murli Deora, Heavy Industry Minister Santosh Mohan Dev and Minister of State for Finance PK Bansal charged with looking into their demands was not even a Group of Ministers (GoM).

“This so-called panel (announced last evening) has not been officially notified. There are no terms of reference or a time-frame for addressing our issues,” Kumar said.

A strike by the officers can cripple the already strained economy beginning with disruption of fuel supplies to airlines and slowly impacting auto fuel and cooking fuel supplies. “On November 17, 2008, Dev more than agreed with our demands and promised to get us a fair deal. He stated that the then Finance Minister P Chidambaram had agreed to a five-year periodicity of wage revision. But three days later we got peanuts and we will have to live with these for the next 10 years,” he said, adding that Deora had made similar promises.

OSOA wants 50 per cent dearness allowance merged with basic pay with effect from January 1, 2005.