Mumbai: After Petroleum dealers’ unions called for a strike on October 13, state-run oil companies have decided to voice their view on it, saying the demand of the union is ‘unreasonable’.
Unions like Federation of All India Petroleum Traders, The All India Petroleum Dealers Association and Consortium of Indian Petroleum Dealers have called for a one-day strike which means the dealers will not buy or sell fuel that day. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Hindustan Petroleum (HP) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC)—oil marketing companies (OMCs) opposed this move.
Through this strike, around 1,000 pumps will be directly impacted. However, pumps owned and operated by OMCs will not take part in the strike. Balwinder Singh Canth, director of marketing, IOC told FPJ, “There are some dealers who have told us that they will not part take in the strike as they feel the reason for strike is unreasonable.”
The union is said to be opposing the amended OMCs marketing discipline guidelines. As per the new guidelines, if they do not maintain toilets in every retail outlets, if they do not deliver the right quantity of petrol to the customers, if they do not pay their employees as per the labour laws, if they do not adopt automation etc, the companies plan to penalise the retail outlets. After few penalties, the companies plan to suspend their licenses. S Jeyakrishnan, director of marketing, HP said, “Changes have to be brought about. We thought some demands are unrealistic and it is time we talk to everyone about it.” Oil companies never criticised the dealers or the union openly but with changing time this had to be done, he added.
BPCL’s director S Ramesh said that if union does not think about customers and if the situation worsens, they will get in touch with state governments for their intervention. The state can interfere in this matter as oil is an essential commodity.
