PSU oil cos strike hit work at refineries
Express News Service
Posted: Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 1615 hrs IST
Updated: Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 1615 hrs IST
New Delhi: With the Indian economy already wobbling following the global meltdown, the Oil Sector Officers Association partially shut its precious lifeline energy, halting gas supplies and closing some refineries in an indefinite protest from Wednesday against government's decision to give wage hikes lower than recommended.
Oil & Natural Gas Corp shut down gas processing units at Uran, Hazira and Gandhar stopping natural gas supplies from the country's largest Mumbai High and western offshore fields. , thereby forcing a shutdown of GAIL India Ltd's Hazira-Bijaipur-Jagdishpur gas pipeline.
"Gas supply pressure from ONGC fields started reducing from 0230 hrs and came to a grinding halt at 0600 hrs, forcing us to cut supplies on HBJ," GAIL Chairman UD Choubey said.
The ONGC shutdown also stopped most of the gas supplies from privately operated Panna/Mukta and Tapti fields as the fuel from these passes through its processing units and pipelines. Only 1.5 million standard cubic meters per day out of 18 MSCMD was being supplied.
Sources said that fertiliser plants along the HBJ had been closed or were in the process of closing while power plants getting gas from the same pipeline had brought down the plant load to one-third. "By evening, these would have shut down fully," they said.
Operations at four refineries were also hit with Haldia unit going off while Panipat, Mathura and Koyali refineries under a cooling down process. This would affect the petroleum products availability after a lag as processed products stored at refineries' large tanks would be available for retail outlets for some time.
However, aviation services and fuel supplies continue to be normal despite the strike that began at 0600 hours. "Aviation services are working normally. Our petrol pumps are also operating normally," Indian Oil Corp Chairman Sarthak Behuria, whose company accounts half of market sales, said.
Comments
» EMPLOYEE
Posted by PSU on 2009-03-14 13:38:13.985356+05:30
I wanna know when the pay revision will ocuur with the ministers taking a lot of time to solve this issue and the elections are coming in april.The oil sector officers have been humiliated like any thing during the strike for genuine demand of a compensation package. Morale has been murdered by the media, which shall take a decade to heal. I hope the group of ministers consider the salary package of other oil sectors globally and finalise a honorable package. I would request they should see the salary survey data of SPE and Rigzone and decide how poorly we are paid.
» PSU Strike
Posted by n k sinha on 2009-01-09 12:03:12.005443+05:30
Pay revision was due wef 01/01/2007. pay revision proposed by govt is not even upto Justice Rao Comitee appointed by the govt for the same. The situation came to this stage only due to improper handling and misinformation by govt.
» OIL CPSU PAY REVISION
Posted by PSU EMPLOYEE on 2009-03-14 13:39:32.115182+05:30
I wanna know when the pay revision will ocuur with the ministers taking a lot of time to solve this issue and the elections are coming in april.The oil sector officers have been humiliated like any thing during the strike for genuine demand of a compensation package. Morale has been murdered by the media, which shall take a decade to heal. I hope the group of ministers consider the salary package of other oil sectors globally and finalise a honorable package. I would request they should see the salary survey data of SPE and Rigzone and decide how poorly we are paid.
» misinformed public
Posted by abhishek on 2009-01-09 06:37:17.125715+05:30
Dear readers (specially you Mr Guha), Officers who have gone on strike are not babus.What the oil psu staff are asking for is their own hard earned money.It has nothing to do with the common taxpayer. Petroleum ministry is treating oil psu management staff like bandhua majdoors and itself acting like the 20th century zamindaar, adamant to keep paying less than the market rate
» oil psu strike / mr guha
Posted by ashok mathu on 2009-01-08 22:27:04.286658+05:30
dear guha,pl go through the abc of working of oil producing companies before making any loose sweeping statements. the success of ongc is due to sweat and hard work of its employees. so kindly refrain from abusing their contribution towards the progress of the country due to the psu employees.
» Oil PSUs justified ... Govt. must act NOW!!!
Posted by b.kumar on 2009-01-08 16:12:02.958595+05:30
I have earlier worked in a major oil sector PSU and can confidently claim that the hard work, dedication and competence of the technical people are at least on par with that of their counterparts in private sectors. The demand for salary revision and increase in perks in line with the industry standard is a valid demand. I would blame the oil ministry / government who only promised to deceive ... and the situation has aggravated to an extent where the executives have gone on a strike! Let us sincerely hope that the standstill will be amicably solved to save the country for loosing millions of rupees every day ....
» Comparision with Private
Posted by Neha Murarka on 2009-01-07 23:10:19.978441+05:30
Firstly ,Salary Revision of Oil PSU's is being done after 10 years instead of normal 5 years.Secondly ,the huge employee turnover from PSU oil(ONGC,IOCL,BPCL,HPCL) majors to Private Oil Cos in last 2-3 years at more than 200% of their last salary in PSU suggests the market value of the OIL PSU Potential.Thirdly ,the Petroleum Minister had also shown concern of huge employee turnover.Forthly , Strike demands from OIl PSUs were called of 3 times in last 2 years on Assurances from Our very own Petroleum Minister and also our Honourable Prime Minister .But assurances remained assurances and were never converted into decisions.Fifthly ,if a fact based study is done in comparing the Salary Package of Oil PSU with Private sector,it will become evident that the Oil PSUs compensation is not even 50 % of the Private sector.Hence teh NOn-Revision of Compensation to Market Rates will lead in Quality Manpower leaving the Oil PSU's in large Numbers and joining Private sector which will be a greater loss to the Oil PSU.Facts .Even after the demands of the Oil Officers is accepted by The Govt in Total ,that will still be lesser than teh Market vaue.
» Strike was only option left.
Posted by SN Verma on 2009-01-07 22:11:59.351375+05:30
Dear Sir, Before 6th CPC the salary of CPSU officer were more than their counter part in CDA since the DA of IDA pattern always remain less and PSU officers are having more accountibility than CDA officer. But after revesion of 2nd pay recommendation of CPSU, the IDA officer are far behind from CDA officer. This case also to be taken. We are heartly with you.
» oil psu employees strike
Posted by sudhanshu srivastava on 2009-01-07 21:54:38.838104+05:30
Surely the ompensation of oil psu employees is a matter of concern, but so is the matter of country coming to a standstill because of this strike. think of it, this is the peak of RABi, and farmers of ten states are dependent on urea from fertiliser plants along HBJ pipeline. what will happen to them if urea manufacturing is stalled?? you have no right to play with the food security of the country just because your salary is low!!. and I am talking about only one consequence of this strike, there are bound to be a lot more.
» STRIKE for War on Terror
Posted by Einstein on 2009-01-07 20:39:33.69647+05:30
The present situation in the country is such that the people of India have to call strike through out the nation to solve the terrorist problem. Because only thro strike the governments understand the pain of the citizens. Pl gear up for such a strike.
» Oil PSU Strike
Posted by Suresh Babu on 2009-01-07 19:32:00.588758+05:30
Mr Abhijit Guha, do you know the working conditions, challenging problems of OIL FIELD? Pl remember that those babus are also paying TAX on their income.
