Coal India to meet trade unions to avert strike

Third meeting is slated for Sept 20, says company director R Mohan Das

Coal India will meet trade unions on Friday to make a last-ditch attempt to avert a proposed three-day strike beginning from September 23.

Addressing the AGM, Coal India director R Mohan Das said the third meeting is slated for day after tomorrow (September 20) after the last two held in August proved inconclusive.

"There is another meeting due on Friday. We hope to clinch a deal. Most probably the strike will not take place," he said.

For each day of the strike, the PSU will face a production shortfall of one million tonnes, according to CIL officials.

There are five trade unions belonging to different political banners, including Congress, BJP and Left Front.

The unions had already served a strike notice to the company mainly to stop the government's plan to divest further 5% of the company's equity.

Coal India, which accounts for about 80% of India's coal output, will miss its offtake target by close to 2.5 million tonnes till September 30 against a target of 224 million tonnes.