General insurance services disrupted in strike

New Delhi, Oct 5: Services in four public sector general insurance companies were disrupted today in a one-day nationwide strike by about 40,000 employees protesting against ''arbitrary'' transfers.

Class III and IV employees of the National Insurance Company, Oriental Insurance Company, United India Insurance Company and New India Assurance Company joined the strike, General Insurance Employees' Union (North Zone) general secretary Chacko Daniel said.

''The strike was total in all the four insurance companies across the country,'' Mr Daniel told sources.

The employees staged a dharna in front of the Jeewan Bharati Building housing the General Insurance Corporation in Connaught Place here while similar demonstrations were held in all state capitals.

Employees of the Life Insurance Corporation held nationwide lunch-hour demonstrations to express their solidarity with the agitating general insurance workers.

According to unions, the managements of the four general insurance companies have transferred Class III employees to distant places under its Transfer and Mobility Policy.

''Even widows and employees nearing retirement have not been spared,'' Mr Daniel said.

Under the transfer policy, employees who have completed three years of service in a particular section in an office, five years in an office or 10 years in a city are liable to be transferred.

UNI