Workers of Ordinance Factories to Resist "Corporatisation": A Brewing Tempest!?

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Sukla Sen

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Jul 2, 2021, 6:10:08 AM7/2/21
to foil-l


Any impediment to the (likely) big garage sale of ordinance factories - factories producing armaments for the Indian military, would be dubbed "anti-national" and dealt with accordingly.

Towards that end, an ordinance has been promulgated on the June 30th.
To frustrate the strike call, from July 19th, by all workers organisations - including the three national federations out of which one is associated with the BJP, to oppose the government's corporatisation move.

Yet another opportunity for a powerful pushback.
It has to be taken up with all the seriousness it deserves.

<<Essential defence services include any service in: (i) any establishment or undertaking dealing with production of goods or equipment required for defence related purposes, or (ii) any establishment of the armed forces or connected with them or defence.  These also include services that, if ceased, would affect the safety of the establishment engaged in such services or its employees.  In addition, the government may declare any service as an essential defence service if its cessation would affect the: (i) production of defence equipment or goods, (ii) operation or maintenance of industrial establishments or units engaged in such production, or (iii) repair or maintenance of products connected with defence.
...
Persons commencing or participating in illegal strikes will be punished with up to one year imprisonment or Rs 10,000 fine, or both.  Persons instigating, inciting, or taking actions to continue illegal strikes, or knowingly supplying money for such purposes, will be punished with up to two years imprisonment or Rs 15,000 fine, or both.  Further, such an employee will be liable to disciplinary action including dismissal as per the terms and conditions of his service.  In such cases, the concerned authority is allowed to dismiss or remove the employee without any inquiry, if it is not reasonably practicable to hold such inquiry.
 
All offences punishable under the Ordinance will be cognisable and non-bailable.>>

(Excerpted from the ordinance promulgated.)

Sukla Sen

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Jul 7, 2021, 11:07:09 AM7/7/21
to foil-l
Further updates:

I/II. <<Federations of ordnance factory workers affiliated to the Left, RSS and the Congress slammed the Centre’s decision to convert the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) into seven defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs).

Terming the move a “good news for private corporates and foreign arms manufacturers”, defence manufacturing employees started their agitation on Thursday. Three federations – All India Defence Employees’ Federation of the Left unions, Bhartiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh, an arm of the RSS-affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, and the Indian National Defence Workers’ Federation of the Indian National Trade Union Congress – will meet on Sunday [June 20] to decide on further strategy, including a possible nationwide indefinite strike.>>


(Another backgrounder.)

II. <<41 National Federations, Unions and Associations representing the public sector workers in Railways, Defense, Electricity, Coal, Petroleum, Banks, Port & Docks as well as organisations of women and people have decided to come together under the banner of  “All India Forum Against Privatisation (AIFAP)” to jointly oppose the Central Government’s anti-worker, anti-people and anti-national policies of handing over public assets built with people’s money to big monopoly corporate capitalists, both Indian and foreign.
...
The Meeting was attended by these All India leaders:
[A long list follows.]

(Excerpted from: 'Press Release: Foundation Meeting of “All India Forum Against Privatisation” successfully held on 04th July 2021' at <http://cgpi.org/21718>.)

Sukla 
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