As the nomination process for the ensuing election to the recognised trade union of the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) coming to an end there are 15 trade unions left in the fray. The major trade unions have intensified their electioneering in the vast Kothagudem coal belt region.
An estimated little over 53,000 voters would decide the electoral fortunes of the 15 trade unions in the representative union election to be held in all the 11 areas of the company spanning across seven districts on October 5.
TRS MLAs campaign
The TRS-affiliated Telangana Boggu Gani Karmika Sangham (TBGKS) has been spearheading an extensive campaign by involving the elected representatives of the ruling party in the coal belt region to retain the recognised union status for a second consecutive term.
Kothagudem MLA Jalagam Venkat Rao, Yellandu MLA Koram Kanakaiah and Pinapaka MLA Payam Venkateshwarlu have been vigorously campaigning in their respective coal belt areas to muster the support of the coal workers for the TBGKS. Minister for Roads and Buildings T. Nageswara Rao and Khammam MP P. Srinivas Reddy have participated in the first phase of electioneering in Yellandu and Kothagudem areas respectively in the last few days.
Other unions
The Singareni Collieries Workers Union (SCWU), affiliated to the AITUC, has taken up a whirlwind campaign with the support of the INTUC and TNTUC affiliated unions across the Kothagudem coal belt region, considered as its traditional stronghold.
The CITU affiliated Singareni Collieries Employees’ Union (SCEU) is conducting a series of pit-meetings in all the areas of the region and using various social media platforms to reach out to the coal workers. The principal trade unions affiliated to the national-level unions are continuing with their no-holds-barred campaign by taking the TBGKS to task on long pending issueslike housing and dependent employment scheme.
Collective strength
The AITUC is harping on the collective strength of the INTUC and TNTUC, which extended their support to it in the SCCL poll election with the sole aim of defeating the TBGKSat the hustings. The TBGKS is reiterating its resolve to serve the cause of workforce during the pit and department-wise meetings as part of its electioneering in the coal belt region.
