Oil officers abandon strike plans

Petroleum Minister Murli Deora assures officers that Govt would look into their demands relating to higher wages.

Officers of state-owned oil companies, who on Monday night deferred their proposed indefinite strike by three weeks, on Tuesday dropped the strike plan completely after a meeting with Petroleum Minister Murli Deora.

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The Minister assured the officers that the government would look into their demands relating to higher wages.

"Petroleum Minister has assured us that he is making all efforts to resolve the issues and as such we have called off our strike plan," Oil Sector Officers' Association (OSOA) convenor Ashok Singh said in New Delhi on Tuesday after meeting Deora.

Officers of state-owned oil companies had threatened to strike work from Tuesday after they failed to reach a common ground with the Government on their demands.

"The government has recommended a pay revision panel and has also assured to resolve our other demands," Singh said.

The employees are demanding periodic pay revisions every five years, 100 per cent dearness allowance neutralisation with effect from January 1, 1996, 50 per cent DA merger and immediate release of additional stagnation increments.

They are also seeking an entry level salary of Rs 50,000 per month (from Rs 20,000 per month) for management trainees and commensurate increase in emoluments at senior levels.

Minister for Public Sector Enterprises and Heavy Industries Santosh Mohan Dev, who was also present at the meeting, said that he would take up the issue of 50 per cent DA merger with the Cabinet.

The officers were also informed that the government would consider their demand for 5 per cent profit distribution and release of additional stagnation increments.