The disagreement between the centre and public sector oil company officers seems to have reached a stand off.

The Oil Sector Officers Association (OSOA), which represent officers from four public sector oil companies,  is the main convenor of this strike.

Amit Kumar, president OASA, told domain-b from New Delhi, ahead of a press conference ''I am very disappointed at the stand that the government has taken. Instead of resolving issues and meeting their promises, they have threatened us with punitive action. Invoking the NSA or ESMA is not a solution to the problems."

''OSOA was open to resolving the issue till 6 am on Wednesday morning. But if the government continues with this stand off we will go on strike as promised,'' Kumar said.

The government has taken a tough stand against the public sector oil officers striking for higher wages stating that such a strike was illegal.

Public sector oil firm executives had announced last month and also earlier last week that they would go on an indefinite strike from 7 January, over the "unkept promises" by the government on their wage demands. OSOA has been in talks for nearly two and half years regarding the wage settlement issues.

The centre has told the state governments to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and the National Securities Act (NSA) as a stringent measure to control the strike. Assam has already invoked the ESMA, while other state governments have said that they are in the process of doing so, the petroleum ministry said.

Meanwhile the Delhi high court has restrained the 2,200 officers from GAIL who are members of OSOA from going on strike. The High Court had earlier stayed a strike in fuel retailing companies, Indian Oil, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum.

Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), the nation's largest oil and gas producer, is also moving court today for a similar stay order.

The government's tough stand and stay orders by the Delhi high court may serve as deterrents to the strike. Moreover, OSOA may not be able to garner enough support and may have to postpone the agitation.

Some of the demands put forward by OSOA are:

• Basic as on 01-01-2007 + all Stagnation benefits (including 3 stagnation increments and 3 additional stagnation relief increments) + SP/PP wherever applicable + 68.8 per cent DA as on 01-01-2007  + 92 per cent Fitment benefit.
• At par with Staff pay revision 1997
• To compensate for DA neutralisation  difference w.e.f. 1996 (34 per cent), 4 addl. increments (16 per cent) in addition to 42  per cent fitment benefit recommended by JRC
• Annual increment 4 per cent
• Promotional increment 6 per cent
• Periodicity of Pay revision should be maximum  5 Years.
• 50 per cent ceiling on Perks and allowances should be removed
• Existing bands of HRA should be continued
• Risk Pay should be made uniformly as 25 per cent of minimum of all levels.