M A I N   N E W S

Oil officers call off strike

NEW DELHI, Jan 11 (PTI) — Oil sector officers, who observed a nationwide indefinite strike causing an estimated loss of Rs 500 crore, today called it off after the government assured favourable consideration of their wage-related demands.

The decision to withdraw the strike was announced following a meeting between representatives of the Oil Sector Officers Association (OSOA) and Petroleum Minister Ram Naik.

Both Mr Naik and OSOA convener Ashok Singh said the strike was being withdrawn and that negotiations would continue.

OSOA officials had sought protection of personnel pay, protection of rate of classification of HRA and compensatory allowances and also wanted 100 per cent neutralisation of dearness allowance from January 1, 1996, as against January 1 1997, Mr Naik said.

“I have said that I would try my best to see that these issues are resolved,” he said adding that with regard to the revision of periodicity of pay scales to five years as against 10 years the decision had to be taken up by the Cabinet.

Mr Naik said with regard to periodicity the issue was also related to other ministries and any decision on it could be arrived only after consultation with these ministries.

The OSOA, which represents about 45,000 officers of the 13 oil companies, had gone on strike today leading to shutdown of the IOC’s seven refineries and a few refineries of the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and exploration and production wells of the ONGC.