Date:08/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/08/stories/2009010859330400.htm

Kerala - Kochi

Refinery officers join strike

Special Correspondent

KOCHI: The Oil Sector Officers Association has decided to intensify its agitation in Kerala.

The officers at the Cochin Refineries joined the strike on Wednesday in response to a call for an all-India strike by the Association.

Only the essential staff involved in the refinery’s operations had worked on Wednesday and they too might join the strike from Thursday onwards, according to a spokesman of the association. Two major crude units had to be shut down by Wednesday afternoon, according to him. This would result in stoppage of supplies as the stock at the unit will be enough for a day, he said.

The officers, demanding hike in wages, started the strike on Wednesday morning. The government had invoked provisions of ESMA and several leaders are said to have been arrested in various parts of the country. No arrests have been made in Kerala.