Oil Public Sector Undertakings officers' strike continues
8 Jan 2009, 1258 Hrs

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Mumbai, Jan 8 Employees of the country's state-run oil firms are continuing with their indefinite strike over a demand for higher pay and perquisites, hitting operations at four refineries and disrupting natural gas supply.

These Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) dominate the country's energy sector, controlling almost the entire supply of transport fuels, natural gas and domestic crude oil.

According to the Association of Senior Technical Officers, 55,000 employees from the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), and its refining subsidiary Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited are on strike.

The striking employees have contended that their pay scale has been reduced in comparison to what Central Government employees are receiving.

C C Narayan, President, Association of Senior Technical Officers, ONGC, said: "For oil sector PSUs), the government has constituted a committee of Justice Rao. They have given recommendations and on that basis oil sector pay revision has been announced. That is not up to our expectation."

An IOC source said the company's refineries at Koyali (260,000 barrels per day (bpd) capacity), Panipat (240,000 bpd), Mathura (160,000 bpd) and Haldia (120,000 bpd) have been affected by the strike.

Meanwhile, the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) has confirmed stopping the sale of 47 million cubic metres of gas a day as the strike has lowered input supplies. (ANI)