The Neyveli Lignite Corporation management on Monday sounded a wage package to recognised trade unions at the bipartite talks held in Chennai in a bid to end the 48-day-old strike of the contract workmen.
Only leaders of the two recognised unions — the Labour Progressive Front (LPF) and the Anna Workers and Staff Union (AWSU) — participated in the talks.
Though the details of the package were not disclosed, the union leaders did not commit themselves to the offer.
The NLC had said that given the current finances of the company and the overall wage structure prevailing in the power sector, it was offering the best deal. It made it clear that the package would be applicable only if the strike was withdrawn immediately.
The union leaders told the management that they would consult their counterparts of other trade unions as well as those of the contract workmen and convey their opinion to the management on Tuesday (October 21).
The unions initially demanded wages equal to Rs. 25,000 a month to contract workmen. But the management felt it to be beyond its capacity. It is understood that the Coal India Ltd. wages of Rs. 486 a day is the benchmark, and it is implied that the NLC unions ought to settle for a figure lesser and not higher than this.
