Neyveli Lignite's second round talks fail, trade unions to continue stir

CHENNAI/CUDDALORE: The second round of conciliatory talks between public sector Neyveli Lignite Corporation management and trade unions over the eight-day-old indefinite strike by employees on wage issue failed today.

Following failure of the tripartite talks at the Central Labour Commissioner office in Chennai, the trade unions spearheading the stir said the strike by around 13,000 employees would continue.

Announcing the outcome of the talks, leader of the Joint Action Council of the trade unions S Rajavannian said while the unions insisted on their demand of 24 per cent increase in the wages, the management stuck to 10 per cent only.

Central Labour Commissioner K.Sekar presided over the talks in which NLC Chief General Manager N Muthu, Rajavannian and AIADMK affiliated union Secretary R Uthayakumar participated.

NLC officials said the third round of talks would be held on Wednesday after a meeting between company Chairman B Surendra Mohan and the Labour Commissioner tomorrow.

They said power generation at the three thermal power plants run by the NLC and lignite excavation had not been affected with around 6,000 officers and engineers and 10,000 contract workers attending to the works.

The regular employees of registered trade unions of NLC are on strike since July 20 demanding wage revision.

The first round of talks held recently also did not lead to any positive solution.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has sought the intervention of the Central Government to sort out the issue.

NLC has been maintaining that the workers were getting better salary than other public sector companies and requested the Unions to withdraw the strike.