Nine ISRO employee unions raise concerns over privatization of space sector

BENGALURU: For the first time since the government began opening India’s space sector to private industry six years ago, nine employee bodies at Isro centres representing thousands of staff under the Department of Space (DoS), have formally raised concerns over the direction and basis of the transition. They have sought written clarification from chairman, space commission, who also serves as secretary, DoS and chairman, Isro.

“Private participation in defined commercial activities can coexist with a strong, publicly owned Isro. What cannot be accepted without debate is a policy that reduces Isro to a residual R&D boutique while the realisation of the nation’s launch vehicles and the operation of its launch infrastructure pass out of public hands,” the representation dated Sept 4 and accessed by TOI, reads.

Terming technology developed by Isro a national asset, they said its transfer must be transparent, accountable, and consistent with strategic, safety and employment considerations. “...Serving employees have an earned right to be informed, consulted and protected. Natural justice and good administration require that policy of this magnitude be explained to the workforce by the Department itself.”

The joint representation has been signed by the Isro Staff Association, SHAR Employees Association, Isac Employees Association, Isro Staff Association-LPSC, Isro Staff Association-BBU, NRSA Employees Union, Space Employees Association-BBU, Isro Staff Association-IPRC and SAC Employees Welfare Association.

Pointing to a recent public statement reportedly made by IN-SPACe chairman Pawan Goenka on Isro eventually “not manufacturing any launch vehicles”, they asked if his statement “represents an approved decision of the Govt of India, Space Commission or DoS… If approved, the date, authority and text of the policy decision may kindly be indicated.”

“What will be the future mandated role of Isro — specifically, whether design, development, realisation, integration, testing and launch of PSLV, LVM-3, SSLV and successor vehicles will continue as Isro functions or will cease. Whether any decision has been taken to exclude PSUs from the proposed transfer of PSLV/LVM-3 production, and the justification for such exclusion,” they asked.

They also sought in writing the institutional arrangement under which publicly created technology, test facilities, launch complexes and know-how — built with taxpayer funds and the labour of generations of Isro employees — are being transferred or opened to private operation, and the role of NSIL vis-a-vis IN-SPACe in such transfers.

“Isro was built as a national scientific institution with public funds, public purpose and a public workforce. Launch-vehicle design, realisation, integration, testing and launch operations are not merely ‘manufacturing contracts’. They are the core competence, institutional memory and strategic capability of the organisation,” the representation reads.

They said they have reasonable fear that a progressive withdrawal of Isro from launch-vehicle and satellite realisation will tamper experiments after research, shrink in-house work, freeze or reduce sanctioned strength, and close promotion and skill-development avenues in technical, scientific, administrative, stores, purchase, quality, safety and industrial cadres.

“Existing employees may be rendered surplus, or redeployed, or left without meaningful work while the same tasks are performed by private contractors using publicly developed technology…Regular recruitment to Group A, B and C posts — already constrained by vacancies and attrition — will further decline, denying opportunity to meritorious youth who look to Isro as a public career of honour, not as a private contractor's workforce,” the letter reads.

Congratulating Isro on the success of the GSLV-F17/EOS-05 mission, the letter read: “...We once again proved that we can rise from ashes and fly like a phoenix.” “We submit this in a constructive and democratic spirit. Our loyalty to Isro and to the national space programme isn’t in question. Precisely because of that loyalty, we consider it our duty to seek clarity before uncertainty hardens into irreversible policy,” they said, adding that they will plan further course of action once the written reply is received.