Coal unions call strike from June 19, will talk only to minister or secretary

KOLKATA: Coal unions, which have called a three-day strike from June 19, have rejected talks with the management or a joint secretary from coal ministry. They want to talk only with the coal minister or coal secretary.

“Our primary demand relates to decisions taken by the government. Discussing with the Coal India management does not make any sense,” said DD Ramanandan, president of All India Coal Workers Federation.

A strike can hit production by 4 MT. The unions want scrapping of plan to merge Coal Mines Provident Fund Organisation with Employees Provident Fund, full implementation of the five-year old wage agreement and early settlement of the 10th wage negotiations for coal workers.

Unions and management negotiate wages every five years. In 2011, they managed a 25 per cent hike. This time, they want a 50 per cent raise. The previous agreement expired last year. “Against a 25 per cent hike last time, ministry is trying to effect 15 per cent raise, it seems,” said SQ Zama of Rashtriya Koyla Khadan Mazdoor Sangh.