Thousands of contract workers of the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) launched a two-day strike in Kothagudem region on Monday demanding hike in wages, job security, health coverage and other benefits.
All the major trade unions, including the AITUC, INTUC, CITU, IFTU, HMS and BMS, extended their support to the strike.
Rallies and dharnas were organised in various parts of coal belt region on the first day of the strike.
Sources said the strike affected removal of overburden in some opencast projects, housekeeping and catering services in the company’s guest houses in Kothagudem region consisting of Manuguru, Yellendu, Kothagudem and Corporate Areas.
The workers staged a massive dharna in front of the SCCL’s head office in Kothagudem.
Leaders of the AITUC-affiliated Singareni Collieries Workers Union, the CITU-affiliated Singareni Collieries Employees Union, the INTUC- affiliated Singareni Coal Miners Labour Union and others took part in the demonstration.
Senior leaders of the Telangana Boggu Gani Karmika Sangham (TGBKS), the recognised trade union of the SCCL, reportedly kept themselves away from the protest.
The speakers demanded that the TRS government regularise the services of contract workers and settle the long pending demands of the latter in line with its ‘pre-poll promise.’
Meanwhile, in a joint statement, CPI(M) district secretary P. Sudarshan, CPI district secretary B. Hemantha Rao and CPI (ML-ND) district secretary P. Ranga Rao alleged that the SCCL management was trying to suppress the strike.
They demanded that the TRS government ensure implementation of Coal India Ltd's wage accord and regularisation of the services of contractor workers keeping in view their invaluable services to the SCCL for the past several years.
