4 Coal India unions call for 2-day strike from January 8

Four Central unions at Coal India (CIL) have called a two-day strike from January 8, demanding more money and no further sale of government stake.

This can lead to a loss of Rs 450 crore in revenue and 3.4 million tonnes of output at a time when 13 power plants have critically low stocks of coal.

CITU, HMS, AITUC and INTUC, representing a majority of 280,000 CIL workers, are serving individual strike notices to the management. BMS will stay off the strike.


The demands include a minimum wage of Rs 18,000 per month, pension of at least Rs 3,000 per month, discontinuation of privations of PSUs, including CIL, equal salaries and benefits for contract workers and removal of ceiling for bonus, ESI, provident fund and gratuity.

“Although this is a national strike called by four central unions including INTUC, we are asking CIL union members to participate in order to make sure the strike is observed in Coal India as well,” said S Q Zama, secretary general at Indian National Mine Workers’ Federation, which is under INTUC.