Five trade unions serve strike notice on Coal India

Strike to begin September 23, could erode outpout worth Rs 510 cr

Five trade unions representing 90 per cent of the 383,000-odd workers in Coal India Ltd (CIL) have served a strike notice to the company’s management as well as the Centre, the largest shareholder, against a proposed five per cent stake sale in the world’s largest coal miner.

The three-day strike, which will begin on September 23, could erode output worth Rs 510 crore for CIL. It also spells trouble for the government’s efforts to meet the current financial year’s disinvestment target of Rs 40,000 crore. CIL accounts for over 82 per cent of India’s coal production.

The notice follows a meeting by the five unions — Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) — in Ranchi on Sunday.

“Despite specific directions by the honorable minister to coal secretary and CIL chairman to negotiate policy issues, as well as CIL-related issues, the response is quite dismal and disappointing,” the unions said in the joint-notice. Breaking away from other unions, the Left-backed CITU had issued its own strike notice earlier this month. That notice was withdrawn on Sunday and a joint notice was issued.