Ordnance factory workers on strike against government policy

Shahjahanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Jan 24 (ANI): The workers of ordnance factories went on a three-day nationwide strike from Wednesday protesting against Centre's defence manufacturing policy.
 “The Unions have decided to go on strike for three days. We are getting the support of other unions also. We have been keeping our demands in front of government officials, but for months, they did not pay heed to it. As a last resort, we have organised this strike,” said a protester.
All the employees of the ordnance factories participated in the protest which resulted in the stalling of production in the factories. At the same time, production in other defense units including the fifth Ordnance Builders of Kanpur, Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment (DMSRDE) were also affected.
The demonstrators are protesting against the Center’s decision to make 275 defense items non-core which allows the government to buy these items from private vendors. According to the workers’ union, this decision has put four armaments factories, including Kanpur, Hazratpur Tundla (near Agra), Shahjahanpur and Chennai in danger. The workers are demanding the government to take back that order so that the ordnance factories can receive the contracts.
They have also demanded the scrapping of new NPS scheme and bringing back of old pension system. In addition to that, the workers claimed that the government is trying to close the workshop organised in the factories which has caused problems to young workers.
"We want OPS (older pension Scheme) to come back. NPS is against the workers," said a worker. 
There are currently 41 ordnance factories under the Ministry of Defense all over the country. About 675 products related to the army, including emission, defense cable, are prepared in these units. Almost 90 percent of these are supplied to the Army, while the remaining 10 percent is supplied to other forces. (ANI)