Nationwide officers’ strike hits oil PSUs

NEW DELHI, Jan 7 – Seventeen oil sector officers — 11 from ONGC and three each from IOC and GAIL — have been suspended and two ONGC officers arrested for participating in a strike that had been prohibited by the higher judiciary, according to Petroleum Secretary R S Pandey. Home Minister P Chidambaram reviewed the situation arising out of the strikes by oil sector executives and truckers with a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary, Petroleum Secretary and Transport Secretary. The strike call, by officers of 13 oil PSUs today to press for a wage hike, has affected operations in only four refineries with air services by and large remaining normal, while oil companies have stocked themselves up for 15-20 days. Oil companies’ executives today defied High Court orders and went on indefinite strike, leading to a shutdown of gas supplies from the country’s largest fields and cutting of output at key refineries. “The strike is total in all oil PSUs except Hindustan Petroleum. The strike began at 0600 hrs,” Oil Sector Officers Association (OSOA) President Amit Kumar said here.Our Duliajan Correspondent adds: Operations of Oil India limited (OIL) and Assam Oil Division (AOD) came to almost a stand still except emergency services with the officers of the oil PSUs going in an indefinite strike since 6 am today being part of the indefinite strike called by the Oil Sector Officers Association (OSOA) demanding higher wages inspite of Government's tough stand of even invoking the National Security Act (NSA) and ESMA and initiating contempt of court proceedings against the association's leadership.According to sources, exploration and production including LPG of the second largest oil PSU, OIL producing around 3.3 MT on an average crude oil annually remained almost at a halt since morning with around 1200 officers abstaining from their services. However three critical oil wells were exempted from the strike coverage and kept operational and partially supplying associated natural gas to AGGBP (NEEPCO), Kathalguri, Namrup Thermal (ASEB), for power generation, Assam Gas Co. Ltd. for domestic consumption. Otherwise almost all the producing oil wells remained shut down during the first 12 hours of the strike which may create complication while resuming its production after strike as during the winter crude tends to accumulate into wax form. While the Digboi refinery of AOD (IOCL) with production capacity of .65 MT annually also remained at minimum operation level resulting in total disruption of the PSU’s marketing and despatches. The Tinsukia terminal of AOD which despatches essential petrol, diesel and kerosene to the petrol pumps of upper Assam remained closed which may make the petrol pumps of the region dry up during the next 12 hours if the strike continues. LPG production was also nil during the strike period which may complicate the already existing crisis of LPG among the domestic consumers in the next few days.Our Sivasagar Correspondent adds: The OSOA-sponsored nationwide indefinite strike involving 55000 officers of 14 PSUs of the oil sector demanding a hike in their pay packages, that began at 4am today, has reportedly paralysed the oil industry of the country. According to ASTO (Association ofTechnical and Scientific Officers, ONGC) sources here, the OSOA strike has paralysed the ONGC Assam Asset completely as over 3500 officers of Assam Asset have struck work . Barring the Executive Director’s office at Nazira, all other installations, offices, production, transportation and drilling operations have come to a standstill since morning today.Crude flow from Nazira to Barauni is reported to be disrupted due to the officers strike to which other workers unions, ONGC Workers Union, Purbanchal ONGC workers union have lent moral support. Visiting the ONGC Sivasagar colony this morning, this correspondent observed the officers gathering in large numbers in front of the open pendal and waiting for amicable settlement massage from New Delhi .Till the filing of this report there is no report of any settlement.However, according to Management sources, critical operations are being maintained in Assam Asset inspite of the strike and the total impact of the strike can be assessed immediately.Our Guwahati Correspondent adds: Though officers of Guwahati Refinery expressed solidarity with OSOA-sponsored indefinite strike by remaining off their duty, routine operation of the Guwahati Refinery, however, remained normal. A senior official of Guwahati Refinery informed that drilling and production operations in the refinery were carried out in the normal way.The senior official, however, stated that oil prices should not go up till Saturday as there is enough stock.“If the strike continues even after Saturday, then we may witness rise in prices,” the official said, adding, “The Essential Services Maintenance Act, which has been invoked by the State to discourage strike, would come into play only when shortage of the oil products will be felt.”The OSOA had called for indefinite strike starting this morning demanding pay-package revisions. Though the government had banned the strike, the Association had decided to go ahead with it. Representatives of OSOA, meanwhile, had a meeting with the Guwahati Refinery meet urging the latter to cooperate with the strike. sourcE: assam tribune