JS(Army) Assured Defence Federations that Ordnance Factories will not be closed

In the Meeting held by MOD, the Chairman of the Meeting  JS (Army) assured  the Defence Federations that No Ordnance Factory will be closed and No Employee will be retrenched.  Based on this Assurance , the proposed one day Strike scheduled to be held on 15-3-2018 was deferred .

JS(Army) Assured Defence Federations that Ordnance Factories will not be closed

Minutes of the Meeting held on 09.03.2018 under the Chairmanship of JS (Army) to discuss the issues/demands of the three recognized Federations of Ministry of Defence

Most Immediate
JCM Matter

Government of India
Ministry of Defence
Department of Defence
D(JCM)

Subject:- ‘Minutes’ of the JCM Meeting held under the Chairmanship of JS (Army) on 09.03.2018 at 4.00 PM on the Notice of the 3 Recognized Federations of Ministry of Defence for holding meeting to discuss issues/demands of Defence Civilian Employees

A copy of the Minutes of the Meeting held under the Chairmanship of JS (Army) on 09.03.2018 on the above subject, is enclosed.

2.All the addressees are requested that the same may be gone through and an immediate action may be initiated in the matter and the Action Taken Report (ATR)/views/comments on all point(s) mentioned against each Section/HQ/Orgns, may be forwarded to D(JCM) Section in the form of a ‘self-contained note’ , with the approval of the JS/HOD/HOO concerned.

3.In those cases where action on certain point(s) is/are going on and not yet finalized, the progress arrived at so far may be furnished from time to time to D(JCM) Section till finalization of the case.

sd/-
(Pawan Kumar)
Under Secretary to the Govt. of India
Telefax: 2301 1260

Minutes of the Meeting held on 09.03.2018 under the Chairmanship of JS (Army) discuss the issues/demands of the three recognized Federations of Ministry of Defence

A meeting was convened under the Chairmanship of JS (Army) to discuss the issues raised by the Forum consisting of recognized Federations of Trade Unions of Defence Civilian Employees/Workers vide their notice dated 19th February, 2018 for holding ‘Call Attention Strike’ on 15th March, 2018. JS(LS) was also present in the meeting. The list of participants is attached.

At the outset, the representatives of Federations, and members of the Official Side were introduced to the Chairperson. Thereafter, the Agenda Points were taken up for discussion.

Demands:

1. To withdraw the decision to declare 250 items being manufactured by Ordnance Factories as “Non-Core”.
2. To not declare 39 items of OEF Group of Factories as Non-Core items.
3. To withdraw the Govt. order to grant uniform Allowance to the soldiers in place of stitched uniforms.

Discussion: The 3 Federation Representatives submitted the following views:

In the interest of the Army and their qualitative requirement of troop comfort items like Army Logo Uniforms, various types of battle dress, parachutes, blankets, boots, tents, jerseys, etc. the 5 OEF Group of Factories should continue to remain with the same product profile and the infrastructure and facilites available should not be dismantled, since these factories are war reserve and huge money is invested in these factories and that should not go as waste/scrap. In the past several times Army has gone to private sector for procurement of these items in the name of cost.

However, the experience is that since the private sector has failed in quality and timely supply the Army has again come back to the OEF Group of Factories. Therefore, these factories should not be distrubed resulting in its closure in the name of non-core and outsourcing. According to the Federations, all these items are core items only.

The Federations are of the view that the past experience of the Army will be repeated and if these established facilities are not readily available when the Army fail in procurement of these items from private sector at that point of time then again re-building those facilities of producing troop comfort items will be very difficult. In spite of all these facts even then if the Government is keen in outsourcing these items, the employees of these factories should not be displaced/transferred.

The Government may come with a road map to decide about the future products to be manufactured in these factories then employees may be trained and placed in the same factory without disturbing them in their seniority, future promotion and protection of wages etc. and also for retaining the skill by recruitment of trained apprentices. The Federations also expressed their deep concern about the workload and the future of Small Arms Group of Factories, Vehicle Factory and GIF, Jabalpur and HAPP Trichy. They requested that a positive decision in this regard may be taken by the Government to provide sufficient workload to these factories.

They also requested that the indent for the workload of 2018-19 of the OEF Group of Factories may be immediately issued since due to non-receipt of indent, the factories are not able to place supply orders for raw materials. They also requested that the reduced expenditure budget of Rupees more than 3,000 crores may be restored to the Ordnance Factories in the interest of completion of target. The Federations also insisted that the battle field dress like Army Logo Uniforms, Jerseys, etc. should not be included in the Uniform Allowance.

Official Side: Responding to the Federations, JS(LS) mentioned that all of us are proud of achievements of OFB and the aim of the policy is to make the organization lean and effective. The capabilities of the private sector has improved with the progress made in the country. There are issues regarding indents of forces not being fulfilled. The intention of the Government is to concentrate on the core sector.

A road map/time frame has been given by the Government for developing vendor base. The road map for redeployment of employees will be given for implementation by the Ordnance Factory Board. The steps initiated are towards improving the future of the Ordnance Factories. He assured that the reduction made in the expenditure budget of approximate Rs. 3000 crores is likely to be restored. Further, he assured that no factory will be closed and no employee will be retrenched.

As far as possible, efforts will be made not to dislodge the employees from their existing factories/ place of posting. In case after the stipulated period the Army do not place indent for the existing items, then appropriate training of staff for redeployment would be considered. JS(LS) concluded that new opportunities are opening and needs to be utilized by the Ordnance Factories so that the organization grows and scales new heights. JS(Army) stated that the items which are included in the Uniform Allowance is being examined and will be clarified, and the case is under process for releasing the indents for the next financial year for the allotted workload.

JS(LS) also stated that VFJ is loaded with manufacturing of Mine-Protected Vehicle and often the factory is not able to deliver the same (the Federations representatives stated that the same is due to non-availability of raw materials etc). JS (LS) also assured about the future workload of Small Arms Factories.

Demands:-

4. To withdraw the decision to convert Army Base Workshops into GOCO Model.

5. To withdraw the decision to close 4 Depots under the DGOS.

6. To withdraw the decision to close 39 Military Farms.

7. To withdraw the decision to declare 31012 employees surplus.

Discussion: The representatives of the Federations reiterated that the implementation of GOCO Model in the Army Base Workshop, closure of Station Workshops, Depots under DG:OS and Military Farms may be reconsidered by the Government and the decision declaring more than 31,000 employees surplus and the proposed action to displace/transfer them may be reconsidered/withdrawn and those employees should not be disturbed from their place of works. In MES, the E-in-C has taken action for filling up of 17,000 posts through Direct Recruitment and hence there is no surplus in MES and the above posts may be filled up immediately without any delay.

Official Side: JS (Army) assured that no employee will be retrenched and the effect of GOCO Model on employees of Army Base Workshops and the manpower requirement of MES would be considered. As far as possible, all efforts will be made to not dislodge the employees from their existing workshops, depots and MES. In case of redeployment becomes necessary, appropirate training will be given to the employees to retain them in the same unit. As regards the concern of the Federations with regard to the surplus of employees, it will be our endeavour that employees are not subjected to hardships.

Demand: 8 Undue delay in holding the DPC for effecting promotions based on the Cadre Restructuring of various categories of DGQA approved by the Government.

Official Side: JS(LS) assured that the matter will be examined and necessary instructions issued for holding of DPCs and effecting promotions in DGQA.

The other demands of the Federations were not taken up in the meeting and it was assured that regular meeting will be held with the Federations to discuss these issues and the process of implementation of the assurance given would be monitored.

Conclusion: JS (Army) concluded the meeting stating that the views of the Federations will be placed before the higher authorities in the Ministry. He also reiterated the assurance given by JS (LS) that no factory will be closed and no employee will be retrenched. As far as possible, efforts will be made not to dislodge the employees from their existing factories/place of posting. In case after the stipulated period the Army do not place target/indent for those items declared as non-core to the Ordnance Factories then appropriate training for redeployment would be considered.

Therefore, he requested the Federations that considering the goodwill of the Government and its commitment towards the welfare of the employees to withdraw the Notice for Call Attention Strike on 15.03.2018. The leaders of the Federations stated that in view of the assurance given, they will deliberate and consider the decision to withdraw the proposed Call Attention Strike on 15.03.2018 after receipt of the Minutes of the Meeting.

The Federations once again reiterated that in the interest of National Security as the country maintains the Armed Forces, the Defence Establishments also should be maintained, strengthened and the interest of civilian employees should also be protected.

The meeting ended with the vote of thanks to the Chair.

Annexure

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE JCM MEETING TO DISCUSS DEMANDS/POINTS OF DEFENCE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WITH THE 3 RECOGNIZED FEDERATIONS (AIDEF/INDWF/BPMS) OF MINISTRY OF DEFENCE HELD ON 09.03.2018 UNDER THE

CHAIRMANSHIP OF JS (ARMY)
1. Shri Rajeev Singh Thakur, JS (Army) – In Chair

Members Staff Side
2. Shri S.N. Pathak, President, AIDEF
3. Shri C. Srikumar, Gen. Secy. AIDEF &

Leader Staff Side, Depttl. Council, MoD
4. Shri Ashok Singh, President, INDWF
5. Shri H.N. Tiwari,

Vice President, INDWF
6. Shri Sadhu Singh,

Organizing Secretary, BPMS
7. Shri Mukesh Singh
Dy. General Secretary, BPMS

Members Official Side

Officials of Ministry of Defence
8. Shri Sanjay Prasad, JS(LS)
9. Shri Dhirendra Verma, Director (Q)
10. Shri A.R. Sinha, Director (O)
11. Shri Subhash Chandra, DS (Q-II)
12. Shri A.N. Sinha, DS(Works-II)
13. Shri Sanjay Rawat, US D (Estt./NG)
14. Shri A.Saha, US (JCM)
15. Shri Ashok Chakrapani, OSD(CP) & Member Secy.
Officials from HQ/Organization

Army HQ
16. Shri M. Chatterjee, Dir(CP)(MP), AG/MP-4(Civ)

DGQA
17. Brig A.S. Negi, DDG(QA)

OFB
18. Shri Niraj Kela, DDG

Source: INDWF