New Delhi: A move by 50,000 officers of 14 oil public sector units to go on strike from tomorrow has been deferred by a week following assurances from the central government that their demand for wage revision will be taken up for consideration by the Union Cabinet in this period.

 "The Cabinet will meet on November 20 to take up the proposal for higher wages for PSU staff. In view of this, we have deferred the strike by one week,'' said Amit Kumar, president, Oil Sector Officers Association (OSOA).

Earlier in the day, the Association had announced the intention of its members to strike work from tomorrow to protest non-revision of wages. Such revision has been due from January 2007.

Acting on the recommendations of the Justice Rao Committee a committee of secretaries had cleared the grant of higher wages for employees of all public sector units and this recommendation has been awaiting clearance from the Union Cabinet.

Meanwhile, faced with the prospect of a disruptive strike from oil PSU employees, petroleum minister Murli Deora issued an appeal asking officers not to strike work as such a move would cripple the economy by impacting oil and gas output and fuel supplies.