Coal India unions seek 50% rise in workers' salaries in early talks

A 50% wage boost would be a dramatic increase for company, which revises salaries of non-executive staff every five years.

Trade unions at Coal India Ltd., the world’s largest miner of the fuel, have demanded a 50% increase in workers’ wages, potentially pushing up costs of the fuel that helps produce more than two-thirds of India’s electricity.

The demand is backed by expectations for rising profits in coming years amid a reduction in staffing and plans to increase production, said D.D. Ramanandan, secretary at the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, one of the associations active in Coal India. The unions had their first meeting with management last month to discuss the matter and more meetings will be held before they reach