Tripartiate meeting fails, NLC workers to go for indefinite strike

A tripartite meeting held at Chennai between the management of Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd (NLC), the protesting Workers' Unions and the Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner (DCLC), related to the centre's decision to divest five per cent stake in the company, has failed. In order to the mount pressure on the central and the state government, the Unions decided to start indefinite hunger strike infront of the NLc facility in Tuticorin from Saturday morning.

According to Union leaders, the tripartite meeting held today at Chennai has failed, even as the government officials suggested that the Central and the State governments are in talks on the stake sales and the Unions should withdraw the protest considering this.

The Unions responded that it would consider any change in the protest only after either of the governments come up with a concrete statement on the stake sale.

It may be noted that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has proposed to buy the five per cent stake the Centre has decided to divest in NLC and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has given its consent for the proposal on condition that the shares should be bought by a qualified institution under the Government. A preliminary level discussion between the Department of Disinvestment, Government of India and the Tamil Nadu Government officials were held at Delhi on July 10.

Meanwhile, the 16 Unions, which are protesting under the Joint Action Council has decided to start indefinite hunger strike from Saturday morning.

"Around 150 select members from the workers would go for indefinite hunger strike from tomorrow morning 7 AM," said R Udayakumar, secretary, Anna Workers and Staff Union, which is affiliated to All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). Another conciliation meeting is called for on July 16, he added.

There are around 13,000 regular employees, 4,500 executive level employees and another 12,000 contract and other workers in the NLC plant, according to the sources. Of this, the workers except the executive level employees are on strike, claims the Unions.

NLC has a capacity to generate 2,490 MW at Neyveli and another 250 MW at Barsingsar in Rajasthan.