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Monday, August 19, 2019

Circular 11-2019


15/1089-90, VASUNDHARA, VASUNDHARA (P.O.), Dt. GHAZIABAD (U.P), PIN-201012

Reference: AIA/Circular-11/2019                                                          Dated:  18th August 2019

To
Unit Secretaries,
Members & Spl. Invitees – NE &
Members of Women’s Committee


Dear Comrades,

MANIFEST SOLIDARITY WITH 1-MONTH STRIKE BY DEFENCE WORKERS & EMPLOYEES

As we all know nearly one lakh Defence workers and employees would embark upon a one month long strike from 20th August 2019 to 19th September 2019 against the decision of the government to corporatise (and eventually privatise) the 41 ordnance factories that will affect nearly 82000 workers and employees at one go.

Many of us may be recalling the 40 day dharna that the AIDEF organised at Parliament Street last year against this move. It is pertinent to note here that the Government of India has already taken a policy decision to allow FDI (foreign direct investment) in the defence sector – an area hitherto barred for private and foreign players.

Umpteen number of discussions held with officers such as Chairman, Ordnance Factories Board, Addl. Secretary, Defence Productions, Secretary, Defence and also with the Minister has not brought any assurance on the future of Ordnance factories. Secretary, Staff side’s letter to Defence Minster on the issue is yet to be responded (copy enclosed).

The attack is on Railways also. Nearly 25 Railway stations are getting auctioned as part of privatisation move. Seven Railway Production Units face the fate of 41 Ordnance factories. The workers are on the street in all these places (with their families in certain stations).

As we know, Printing & Stationery Department is facing closure – stationery officers are already been closed down and except 4, all printing presses are closed down and the prime land is being sold.
CPWD faces the same situation as of Ordnance factories with the move to corporotise the Department in the advanced stage.
This 30 day strike - jointly organised by All India Defence Employees Federation (AIDEF), Indian National Defence workers Federation (INDWF), Bharatiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh (BPMS) and Confederation of Defence Recognised Federations (CDRA) – is a struggle for the entirety of central government employees and workers.

It is in the interest of ourselves that we educate the members about the strike, the demands and policies that forced the workers to go for a month long strike.

The charter of demands and the list of the ordnance factories that face the axe immediately are attached.

All our Units are requested to hold lunch hour meetings at their work places, adopt the attached resolution and send it to the Defence Minister directly with a copy to HQrs.

With greetings,
Yours fraternally,

Sd/- 
(M. S. Raja)  
Secretary General

RESOLUTION

This extraordinary general meeting of . .   . . . Association resolves to stand by struggling employees and workers of Defence Production Units and Board office. The decision of the government to corporatise these factories for its eventual privatisation at later stage is uncalled for particularly when security of country needs further stepping up. Till date these Production units are functioning most efficiently. New products were brought about by DRDO and effectively built by these factories and in turn used by the Indian Army, Air Force and Naval force. Chairman of the Board has already made a clear observation that capacity of these factories can be augmented at any point of urgency. This may not be possible if production is commercialised. Further, in the event of privatisation of Defence Production, it is not unlikely that enemies of the country will have easier access to the same or better arsenals used by army or other security forces. 

So, this meeting urges upon the Government to rollback the idea of corporatisation of Defence Productions and initiate dialogue with struggling Workers' and Employees of the defence units to restore normal industrial relation.

Resolve that a copy of the resolution will be forwarded to Defence Minister of India and Secretary General of All India Audit & Accounts Association.



(……….)
President


List of Ordnance Factories




S.No
Factory
Location
State
1
Ordnance Factory Project (OFN)
Bihar



2
Jabalpur
Madhya Pradesh
3
Grey Iron Foundry (GIF)
Madhya Pradesh
4
Ordnance Factory Khamaria (OFK)
Madhya Pradesh
5
Madhya Pradesh
6
Ordnance Factory Katni (OFKAT)
Madhya Pradesh
7
Ordnance Factory Itarsi (OFI)
Madhya Pradesh




8
Ammunition Factory Khadki (AFK)
Maharashtra
9
High Explosives Factory (HEF)
Maharashtra
10
Ordnance Factory Dehu Road (OFDR)
Dehu Road, Pune
Maharashtra
11
Machine Tool Prototype Factory (MPF)
Maharashtra
12
Ordnance Factory Ambarnath (OFA)
Maharashtra
13
Ordnance Factory Ambajhari (OFAJ)
Maharashtra
14
Ordnance Factory Bhandara (OFBA)
Maharashtra
15
Ordnance Factory Bhusawal (OFBH)
Maharashtra
16
Ordnance Factory Chandrapur (OFCH)
Maharashtra
17
Ordnance Factory Varangaon (OFV)
Maharashtra




18
Ordnance Factory Bolangir (OFBOL)
Odisha




19
Ordnance Cable Factory Chandigarh (OCFC)
UT




20
Cordite Factory (CFA)
Tamil Nadu
21
Engine Factory Avadi (EFA)
Tamil Nadu
22
Tamil Nadu
23
Chennai
Tamil Nadu
24
Tiruchirappalli
Tamil Nadu
25
Tamil Nadu




26
Telangana




27
Kanpur
Uttar Pradesh
28
Small Arms Factory (SAF)
Uttar Pradesh
29
Ordnance Equipment Factory Kanpur (OEFC)
Kanpur
Uttar Pradesh
30
Ordnance Factory Kanpur (OFC)
Uttar Pradesh
31
Ordnance Parachute Factory (OPF)
Uttar Pradesh
32
Uttar Pradesh
33
Uttar Pradesh
34
Ordnance Factory Project Korwa (OFPKR)
Uttar Pradesh
35
Ordnance Equipment Factory Hazratpur (OEFHZ)
Agra
Uttar Pradesh




36
Ordnance Factory Dehradun (OFDUN)
Uttarakhand
37
Opto Electronics Factory (OLF)
Uttarakhand




38
Gun and Shell Factory (GSF)
West Bengal
39
Metal and Steel Factory (MSF)
West Bengal
40
Ordnance Factory Dumdum (OFDC)
West Bengal
41
West Bengal


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NJCA
National Joint Council of Action
4, State Entry Road
New  Delhi -  110055


No. NJCA/2019/Meet                                                                            Dated:   August 18, 2019

The  Hon'ble   Defence  Minister, (Government  of India),
South   Block, New  Delhi


Dear Sir,


Sub:  Corporatization  of Ordnance   Factories
Ref.:  My earlier   letter of even  number dated  27th  July,  2019


On the above    subject  I    met you  earlier    and handed  over a  copy  of the  letter,   referred   to above   on  behalf of National   Joint   Committee  of Action,   for your kind   intervention,     and you    are  aware   that,   82,000   employees,     working    in   41   Ordnance   Factories,    have decided    to move on  month-long    strike.

Though,    on  our intervention  you  have  formed  an  Additional   Secretary   rank committee, who had discussions     on  14th  and  16th   August,   2019,   but could not resolve  the crisis.


Staff  Side's    proposal,    that  they   should    be given    a chance  to discuss   threadbare    about the  proposed     plan   of  OFB  target  of  Rs.30,000   crore  for  2024-2025,   could   be  made under    the   present   system,    by   increasing     infrastructure    and     provision   of   proper manpower     and  materials,     has not been discussed  thoroughly,     because   the committee  is in  their   hands,    telling    the   Defence     Federations      that,   they   have  got  no  mandate  to discuss this   issue.

Here  it  is  worth-mentioning      that,   Ordnance   Factories    have  proved their   worth  at the  time of crisis,    particularly    during  Kargil  War  when   working   day-and-night    they  had  been able to  supply    requirement     of defence  without   even  taking    a single   penny  in  the   overtime. Not  only   this,    during   the tenure   of Shri   Manohar   Parrikar   as  Defence  Minister,     it  was his  motivation     that,    the   staff   of  Ordnance      Factories    have   brought      production      of Ordnance   Factories to the level   of 17,600   crore,   even with  the  reduced  manpower.

I is   also   worth-mentioning       that,   as   Defence   Minister,     Shri   George    Fernandez,    on
22.04.2002,    Shri  Pranab   Mukherjee   on  18.09.2006,      Shri  A.K.   Antony   on 26.06.2007 and   Shri  Manohar   Parrikar  on  15.04.2015   had made  it clear  that  Ordnance  Factories would   not be corporatized.

The  above  statements   are a  part of the minutes    of the  meetings    or their   statements   in the Parliament.

Converting   the PSUs  into  the Corporations    would   not be  a viable  option   because  of the fluctuations   in   the  orders  which  are  placed  after  a  long  gap  as well  as  uneconomical orders   of quantity,     and even  life  cycle support  required  for 30-40 years  after  introduction of the equipments.

As Secretary Staff  Side(JCM)    as  well   as  Convener    NJCA  it is  my humble  appeal  to you  for  your   kind    intervention     to  avoid    this  crisis   by  assuring     three    Defence   Staff Federations     as well  as  CORA  by  constituting      a  High  Leve Committee where  all   the issues  raised   by  the  Defence    Staff  Federations     should   be  discussed   threadbare   and sorted-out.

II   am sure that,  in  their   long history,    Ordnance  Factories,   their workers  have  proved their worth,    and  once   they    are  again    ready  to  face  the  challenge   thrown   on  them  for
production  with   their  full  efficiency    and productivity.


                        With Kind Regards,       

Yours faithfully,

(Shiva Gopal Mishra) 
Convener



 NJCA
National Joint Council of Action
                4, State Entry Road
                 New  Delhi -  110055


No.NJ CA/2019/Meet                                                                                    July  27,  2019

To

Shri  Rajnath  Singh   Ji, Hon'ble    Defence  Minister, Government  of India,
South  Block,
New Delhi


Respected  Sir,


Sub:-    Request  to withdraw  the decision   of Corporatization   of Ordnance Factories  under  Department  of Defence  Production


We are writing  this  letter  to you to invite  your kind attention  on a burning  issue  which has  resulted   in  discontentment    and  uncertainty   amongst  the  more  than  82  thousand Defence   Civilian    Employees   of  41  Ordnance   Factories   includin its   Headquarters (OFB)   and their  family   members.   The Cabinet  Secretary  vide  his  letter  dated  l 0111  July
201 has  directed  the  Department   of Defence  Production    to  submit  proposal   to the
Cabinet  to Corporatize  the Ordnance  Factories  which  are Departmental   Units  under the Ministry   of  Defence.  You  are  aware  that  the  Ordnance   Factories   are  218    years  old Government  Industrial   Organization   fully dedicated   to meet  the requirement  of Armed Forces  indigenously.     You  will   appreciate    that  the  country  is  not  importing   Defence Equipment's   which are being  manufactured  by Ordnance  Factories:  The import  is  only War Ships,  Fighter  Air  Crafts etc which are not under the domain  of Ordnance  Factories. You will  also appreciate   that the Ordnance  Factories  is  depending   totally  on the indent placed   by the  Indian   Anny  and the Para  Military   Forces.   Converting    these   Ordnance Factories    in to a Corporation  I Publi Sector  undertaking    is  not in  the  interest  of our Armed  Forces  since   being  a captive   unit   exclusively   dedicated  for the Armed  Forces will not survive   if  converted   in  to a Corporation.    Moreover  all the existing    more than
82000 employees   who are basically   Defence Civilian   Employees  will also  be drastically effected since   their service  condition  will  undergo  drastic changes.

Sir  in   the  past  when  the  Government   has  considered    to  corporatize    the  Ordnance Factories,  the Government   considering  the sensitivity    and importance   of the Ordnance Factories  have  dropped  the proposal   and  many  written    assurance were  given   to  the Federations  of the Defence  Civilian    Employees  that Ordnance  Factories   would   not be Corporatized.    However  it  is  unfortunate  by ignoring   all these  assurances  the  Ministry of Defence  have forwarded  a Cabinet Note for converting   the Ordnance  Factories  in to a  Corporation.     In   this  regard   the  three   Federations     vide    their    Joint    Letter  dated 26.07.2019      have  submitted    a detailed     representation     to  your  honour  pointing    out  the various    assurances     given    to   the  Federations     by  the   Government      and  also    in  the Parliament    that  Ordnance    Factories  will not  be Corporatized.     They have   also   given   all justifications     that   Ordnance   Factories    should    continue  as  a  Departmental     Organization
in the present set up  with more empowerment.   Moreover  they  have also   stated    that the
Federations      are  ready  to  discuss    with the  Government    for  any  further  improvement    in the  functioning   of the  Ordnance  Factories.     I am   enclosing    herewith    a copy of the  Joint Representation      of the  three  Federations     dated   26/07/20  l 9 for your kind perusal.

Sir,   I would  like  to draw your  attention    that  considering     this   serious  development     which is  going   to have far  reaching   implications     on the future  service  of the  82000 employees of  Ordnance    Factories    the  three  Federations     have jointly     decided  for  serious    action programmes.    I  therefore      request  you   to  kindly    intervene    in   the   matter  and  direct  the authorities    to put  on hold   the proposed   decision    to Corporatize    the  Ordnance  Factories and   the  Ministry    of Defence  should    hold   discussions      with  the  three   Federations   and CDRA  so that   an amicable    settlement     can  be reached  in the   interest    of the  Defence preparedness    of our Country  and  also   the dedicated    and committed    work   force of the Ordnance  Factories.

An earlier   and favorable   decision     is solicited.

With kindest   regards,

Yours Sincerely,        


            (Shiva Gopal Mishra)
              Convener

 




























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