Oil Men Strike

A Large chunk of ONGCians are first class students right from higher Secondary to Post graduation and served the company for about 5 to 20 years in general. Many of us are technical staff who have been working in remote locations and harsh environment like Mumbai High and North East. It is well known that Mother Earth has its best resources in unassailable terrains and so in hunt for oil we were always strewn far away from our loved ones. Many a time we miss our children’s birthdays and some times their birth itself, would not be by the side of our aged parents when they breathe their last and rush to our homes for their last rites. We are not complaining about it. We take pride in our work. No missed birthdays or missing the last sight of a departed soul in our family takes away our pride in working for ONGC. We work with a zeal that is hard to express and the joy we get is akin to what a soldier might have in serving his motherland. We wear our ID cards close to our hearts and feel the elation of serving our Country. No matter what the TV Channels called us during our 3 day strike we refuse to feel humiliated. We earned it, the right to feel proud of our work. Our ability to fight fires on offshore platforms and move by OSVs to open a well in the middle of a stormy night with a torch light and adjustable spanner in our hand makes us feel close to the people of this nation. The greater goal has always been our country’s energy security.

Pay Revision is not an issue, slighting the Oil Men is!! If the best men of our country like you lend us a deaf ear it hurts and it hurts badly!! The just demands being thrown out like dirt and the high handed approach to handle the strike of the officers speaks poorly of an enlightened Government. If a group of qualified people cannot be handled justly then what would be the fate of rogues and destructive elements.

Tarnishing the image of Armed Forces and Educated Officials does not augur well for this country. May the erudite people should spare a second to think why these crises had emerged in the first place, would give us a better solution. The attrition level of the critical work force is alarming to say the least. This Pay Revision could have dealt with it in a sensible manner, but now it is going to be fire fighting at the Corporation level. The system of natural justice would come into play and time would show who was right. Correction at that point would be much more difficult.

If a brilliant child is neglected and chided for his genuine wants he would be suffocated and his performance gradually reaches mediocrity. Please do not make our Oil Sector Mediocre!!

P. Suresh
SE (P)
ONGC