Coal workers threaten nationwide stir

More than four lakh coal workers across eight states of the country have decided to go on a three-day nationwide strike from May 3-5, paralyzing work at the coalfields, if the Centre fails to meet their 11-point charter of demands by April 18.

This decision was taken by the office bearers all the five Central trade unions at an emergency meeting at Ranchi on Saturday. The trade unions who attended the meeting were Indian national Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Bharataiya Majdoor Sangh (BMS), Hind Majdoor Sabha (HMS) and Centre for Indian Trade Union (CITU).

Surendra Kumar Pandey, general secretary of BMS said, “A letter listing all the demands of the unions has been sent to the Union coal secretary, urging him to accept all by April 18. In the event of non-fulfillment of the demands, the trade unions will stage demonstrations at the headquarters of Coal India Limited (CIL) and its eight subsidiaries on April 19 and then go for a nationwide stir beginning May 3.”

The coal trade unions are opposed to the disinvestment of CIL. Other demands of these unions include a complete end top outsourcing in coal sector, payment to casual workers at par with a category 1 worker, withdrawal of allotment of blocks to private parties under CIL's command area and enhancement of pension fund contribution by government to 40 per cent from the existing 25 per cent.

Pandey also informed that they have demanded the abolition of income tax on perquisites and providing jobs to land losers