One-day token strike called by the four national trade unions - AITUC, INTUC, CITU and BMS on Monday in the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) in protest against the commercial coal mining has been put off following an assurance given by the Union government to constitute a committee and examine into the issue.
The trade unions had called for one-day token strike on April 16 alleging the Union government had given 22% of its share to the private companies and allocated 214 coal blocks to private companies neglecting the public sector companies.
Following the strike call given by the trade unions against the privatisation of the coal mines, the Union government had assured to constitute a committee to look into the issue and submit a report. The trade union leaders said that then Congress government had nationalised the coal sector in 1973. In contrary, the BJP government in February this year had allowed private companies to mine the fossil fuel for commercial use to end the monopoly of the public sector Coal India Limited (CIL).
Terming the privatisation of coal mines as detrimental to the interests of the workforce, they said the privatisation would help in the growth of coal mafia and all labour laws would be flouted. The trade union leaders also threatened to intensify their agitation if the government further goes ahead about its plan to privatise the coal mines.
