HYDERABAD, Aug 23: The All Pakistan Oil and Gas Development Company Employees' Union has accused the company's CBA of being in league with the OGDC management in formulating anti-workers policies.

As a result of the policies, it alleged, services of over 200 employees had been terminated over the past two years. Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Monday, the union leaders said that the OGDC workers were being transferred from one province to other and alleged that irregularities were being committed in the workers fund.

They said that due to pro-management policy of the CBA, no fresh agreement had been signed between the CBA and the management, which had become due on Feb 6, 2003. They said that shares of the OGDC were being offered in the market with a view to privatizing the company.

They claimed that under the Industrial Relations Ordinance 2002, the tenure of the CBA had been extended by one year and it ended on July 18, 2004. They appealed to the OGDC workers to beware of the anti- workers policies of the CBA and prepare for a referendum. Those who spoke at the news conference included union president Sain Bux Dayo and general secretary Hassan Bukhsh Khoso.

JOB SEEKERS: Candidates who have passed Sindh Public Service Commission written and oral examinations and were given offer letters by the Sindh education department have said 741 candidates are not being issued posting orders.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Monday, they said this was a violation of the principle of merit. Regretting that some elements were also misguiding the media, they refuted a news item published in a section of the press, saying that the Sindh High Court, Sukkur circuit, had banned appointment of lecturers.

They claimed that on the basis of this news report, the Sindh education minister announced that candidates would have to reappear in interviews. The lecturers also distributed copies of comments of the SPSC, submitted before the high court.

They appealed to the president, prime minister, Sindh governor and the chief minister to take notice of what they called anti-education and anti-merit policies of the education minister and ensure that the 741 lecturers were issued appointment letters as there was a shortage of college teachers in the province.