BMS not to support CIL union strike on Monday

Coal India had experienced labour troubles on several occasions, hindering its productivity

The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) on Thursday said it will not join the proposed strike by Coal India employee unions on Monday, bringing the split among the unions to the fore.

Coal India's four unions - Indian National Trade Union Congress, Hind Mazdoor Sabha, Centre of Indian Trade Unions and All India Trade Union Congress - have served a notice for a one-day token strike on November 24, demanding scraping of the enabling clause in the Coal Mines Ordinance, 2014, which allows commercial mining by private companies, and disinvestment of at least 10 per cent stake in the public sector miner.

"No, BMS is not going on strike as we are of the view that strike is not the right process to get demands met," Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) President Baij Nath Rai said. Coal India had earlier said the impact of the proposed strike will not be "alarming".

The Coal India management was banking on the possibility that Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh will boycott the strike and its supporters will join work.

Coal India sources said Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh has influence in south eastern coalfields, western coalfields and partially in the central coalfields.

Coal India, which employs over 300,000 people and accounts for 80 per cent of the domestic coal production, had experienced labour troubles on several occasions, hindering its productivity.

The company was unable to meet its production target in the past few years.