Kolkata: Operations in refineries, pipelines, production units and commercial offices of public sector oil companies were today (Dec 16, 2003) affected due to a day-long strike by about three lakh workers in the sector protesting Centre's move to disinvest its shares in Indian Oil Corporation and ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited).

AITUC (All India Trade Union Congress) general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta told reporters in Kolkata that the strike, jointly called by the central trade unions INTUC (Indian National Trade Union Congress), CITU (Centre of Indian Trade Unions), BMS (Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh), HMS (Hind Mazdoor Sabha) and others, "hit oil production and supply as also truck movement in various parts of the country".

Terming the joint strike call as "unprecedented", he said, "This is the first time all the CTUs (Central Trade Unions) joined together to oppose disinvestment in the oil sector."

The CTUs also firmly protested the Government's move to seek a revision of the Supreme Court judgement on privatisation of HPCL (Hindustan Petroleum Corp Limited) and BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corp Limited), he said.

"This action is only a warning. If the Government does not pay heed, we will further intensify our movement, affecting oil production and supply in the country," he said.

PTI