IFTU Salutes Ordnance Workers Fightback Against Corporatization!
All the unions and federations of the 41 ordnance factories of India have given notice for indefinite strike against corporatization from 12th October. Earlier too the unions had held strike which was called off on assurance of central Govt. that there would be no corporatization. Using the pandemic to push through anti worker pro Corporate policies, the Central Govt. has gone back on its assurance and private consultants have been appointed for the purpose. The Govt. has cited ‘lack of accountability’ as one of the reasons for corporatizing this hitherto department led sector and the unions are especially challenging this premise. 80,000 employees of grade A, B and C are employed in these factories.
The corporatization of Ordnance factories is in keeping with Central Govt’s drive to sell off all public sector set up on people’s money, privatize all vast assets of these at throw away prices and it has even opened defence sector for this loot. Giving slogans of nationalism to cover its pro corporate pro imperialist drive and its sale of every sector of the country, the Govt. is in fascist overdrive to label all opposition to its policies as antinational. It has moved to hand over agriculture to corporate, open doors wide for corporate farming and totally dump labour laws in the dustbin in the name of rationalization. Govt. employees who dissent, trade union leaders among them, are being attacked through compulsory retirement in the name of non performance. Working class must fight back the all around assault on both jobs and rights including the very right to dissent, to unionize and even to a legal strike.
National Committee of IFTU calls on all units to support the struggle of the Ordnance workers. We demand that the Central Govt. revoke plan to corporatize this sector and to take back all policy decisions taken during pandemic period.
Aparna (President) B.Pradeep (Gen. Secretary)
National Committee
IFTU 6th Oct 2020.
