Central trade unions in CIL collieries to go on strike

Cite failure of talks with CIL management and ministry of coal over auction of coal blocks to private companies

The central trade unions today announced their decision to go ahead with the proposed nationwide strike on March 29 citing failure of talks with CIL management and ministry of coal over auction of coal blocks to private companies.

An estimated 3 lakh permanent miners and 1.80 lakh private outsourcing workers of Coal India collieries would go on strike in protest against auctioning of coal blocks to private companies, General Secretary of Rashtriya Colliery Mazdoor Sangh (RCMS) A K Jha said here.

He made the announcement after a meeting of Joint Front comprising central trade unions INTUC, AITUC, CITU and HMS.

Jha said three rounds of talks last month with officers of CIL and ministry of coal could not resolve the issue.

"Coal India director personnel (DP) made positive response at bipartite meeting but the management did not issue notification. So recognised central trade unions resolved to stick to their decision of strike," he said.

Central trade unions are opposing auction of coal blocks demanding employment to people whose land has been acquired for mining coal and filling of vacant posts in Coal India.

Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal had earlier said in Lok Sabha: "Four trade unions have given notice to go on strike on March 29, protesting against the government's decision to disinvest, among other issues" and added that the government is in dialogue with the unions on all matters concerning workers.

The government had earlier sought unions' cooperation in combating the "difficult situation" the sector was passing through due to fall in global commodity prices.