Members of the Indian Oil Refinery Employees Union (IPREU) have decided to march to the Indian Oil Corporation’s Refinery Headquarters (RHQ) in Delhi on Wednesday to press their demands before the higher authorities. Meanwhile, the hunger strike by IPREU members outside Gate No. 2 of the refinery township entered its fourth day on Monday, with the union remaining firm on its demands.
Notably, five union members—President Sampooran Singh, Manoj Katiyar, Pradeep Sharma, Pawan Chahal and Lalit Kumar—began an indefinite hunger strike on July 17 after several rounds of talks with the refinery administration failed to yield a resolution.
On Monday evening, employees gathered at the protest site and raised slogans against the refinery administration in support of their demands.
Sampooran Singh, President of the IPREU, said telephonic talks were held with the refinery administration on Monday. According to him, the administration expressed willingness to meet some of the employees’ demands, but the union insisted that all demands be fulfilled on priority.
Singh said the union had decided to march to the refinery headquarters in Delhi to press its demands. Around 150 to 200 employees are expected to travel to the headquarters by buses, including those currently on hunger strike.
The union has also submitted a letter to the Executive Director of IOCL Refinery, Panipat, informing the management about its decision to march to Delhi on Wednesday.
The union president said that during all previous meetings, the refinery administration had maintained that the final decision on the demands would be taken by the Delhi headquarters.
“That is why the IPREU has decided to march to the Refinery Headquarters (RHQ) in Delhi on July 22 (Wednesday) to strongly present its demands before the higher authorities and request them to resolve all pending issues on priority,” he said.
The union further stated that the employees on hunger strike would also travel to Delhi and demanded that an ambulance, a doctor and necessary medical equipment be arranged for them during the journey.
Meanwhile, the refinery administration issued a statement saying that the matter was pending before the Assistant Labour Commissioner (Central) for resolution and that the next hearing was scheduled for July 31. It maintained that the hunger strike was unjustified while the matter was under consideration.
The refinery further stated that the demands raised by the union were internal matters and that most of the issues had already been discussed in detail and were moving towards resolution.
The management also said it was taking the health and safety of the protesting employees seriously. It stated that the employees’ vital signs were being checked every three to four hours, while blood samples were being collected every 24 hours. An ambulance has been stationed at the protest site, and refinery doctors are regularly monitoring their health, the statement added.