After Panic, Oil Strike Called Off in India

An oil strike over pay rates was called to a halt as the strikers were threatened with arrest.
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After Panic, Oil Strike Called Off in India
Indian commuters rush to a crowded petrol station in New Delhi on January 8, 2009. (Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images)
1/14/2009
Updated:
10/1/2015

<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/injagaz84208128.jpg" alt="Indian commuters rush to a crowded petrol station in New Delhi on January 8, 2009. (Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images)" title="Indian commuters rush to a crowded petrol station in New Delhi on January 8, 2009. (Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1831374"/></a>
Indian commuters rush to a crowded petrol station in New Delhi on January 8, 2009. (Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images)
CHENNAI, India—An oil strike over pay rates announced by the Oil Sector Officer’s Association was called to a halt on Jan. 9, as the striking officers were threatened with arrest.

The three day strike caused panic in the capital of New Delhi, as people rushed to the pumps with their vehicles while the price of petrol soared. Gas stations often sought help from police to control the crowd, and pumps were reported to be running out.

The government responded by denying the demands of the Officer’s Association, and giving them the ultimatum of either going back to work or being arrested. With no hope in sight, they called it off.

Officers from the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited were the first to fold, followed by the Indian Oil Corporation, Oil India Limited, and Petronet, with the rest following.

Hindustan Petroleum was the only member of the Oil Sector Officer’s Association which didn’t participate in the strike.