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560,000 defence employees plan strike on July 23-24

Up in arms against the Union government's decision to open up defence production to private sector, three federations claiming support of 560,000 defence employees on Tuesday decided to observe an unprecedented countrywide strike on July 23 and 24.

"Allowing private industries and multinational companies to produce arms, ammunition, weapons and other defence equipment will jeopardise the entire security of the country," a joint declaration adopted at a meeting of the Defence-Civilian Employees' Organisations said.

The two-day joint meeting of All India Defence Employees' Federation, Indian National Defence Workers' Federation and the Bharatiya Pratiraksha Mazdoor Sangh, which concluded on Tuesday, noted with 'deep concern' the decision taken by the Union Cabinet on May 9 to allow 100 per cent participation of private industries in defence production and permit 26 per cent foreign direct investment by amending the Industrial Policy.

In the joint declaration they said that the decision to shift defence production from restricted category to the licensed category was taken in a "hasty and pre-determined" manner without considering the situation prevailing in the country.

"On the one had, the country is faced with the threat of cross-border terrorism, and on the other it has been disturbed by internal terrorist activities and insurgency," it said, adding that the defence employees could not be a silent spectator.

The strike will involve civilian employees engaged in 39 ordnance factories and other establishments of army, air force, navy, DRDO and in the ministry of defence.

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