Difficult for CIL to give 50% wage hike to workers, CMD tells union

Coal India Chairman Pramod Agrawal has said it will be difficult for the PSU to give 50 per cent wage hike to workers, as demanded by the unions, due to financial constraints facing the company, according to a union leader.

Nathulal Pandey, president of the Hind Mazdoor Sabha-affiliated Hind Khadan Mazdoor Federation, said he had a meeting with the Coal India (CIL) chairman on Wednesday during which the issue of workers' wages came up.

"The chairman told me that it is difficult for the PSU to give 50 per cent hike in workers' wages as the company is facing financial constraints. Even if the company gives a hike of let's say 10 per cent, it will result in financial burden of around Rs 5,000 crore to the PSU," Pandey said.

Every fifth year, there is a revision of wages of CIL employees. The hike is due from July 2021.

Coal India had in 2017 signed a wage agreement with worker unions proposing 20 per cent hike in salaries for five years.

CIL, which accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output, has a total workforce of 2.59 lakh. Out of this, around 15,000 are executive staff.

Unions have submitted a charter of demands to CIL, including at least 50 per cent hike in salaries for the five-year period.