Oil trade unions threaten nationwide strike for regularisation

Trade Unions in the oil public sector undertakings today threatened to a go on a nationwide strike demanding regularisation of more than 100,000 contract and contengent workers in the sector.A special convention held under the banner of All India Petroleum Workers Federation adopted a resolution demanding, among other things, an amendment to the existing Labour laws to facilitate contract labourers get protection of wages and working conditions, evolving a mechanism to ensure equal pay for equal job and service security to all labourers.A delegation of the Federation comprising trade unions affiliated to different parties, earlier also submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard, Federation Vice President Pramod Gogoi said.Addressing a joint press conference with other Federation leaders, AITUC General Secretary Gurudas Dasgupta alleged that while the oil companies were making huge profits, the large number of contract and contingent workers were being even deprived of minimum wages in a 'total violation' of Labour laws.''If necessary, we will go for a nationwide strike in the oil sector for upholding the demands of contract workers if the high profile oil Minister fails to take steps to protect them,'' Mr Dasgupta said.He alleged that in 2002 the government had earned a revenue of Rs 66,000 from oil PSUs by way of taxes and dividends, but the contract labourers continued to be 'neglected and squeezed'.The convention also decided to organise an All India Protest Day in February next by holding demonstrations and dharnas to press for the demands.