SCCL urges unions to withdraw strike

Says stir will cause financial loss to company and workers; unions justify, cite success of farmers’ protest

SCCL management holding talks with trade unions’ representatives on Friday.

The management of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. (SCCL) has appealed to trade unions to withdraw their strike call from December 9 to 11 stating that it would result in financial loss not only to the company but also to workers and their families.

In a meeting with the representatives of six workers’ unions, including Telangana Boggugani Karmika Sangham, AITUC, INTUC, HMS, CITU and BMS on Friday, directors of the company explained to them that privatisation of coal blocks was a policy decision of the Union Government and suggested them to fight against it in alternative ways, as striking work would badly impact production and despatch of coal.

The directors also explained to the trade unions the efforts made by the company management to prevent the privatisation of four coal blocks in Singareni area. Stating that allocation of coal blocks was a policy decision taken by the Centre, they said it was not a matter involving just Singareni or Telangana but the entire country.

The representatives of the trade unions stated that the very existence of SCCL would be forced into uncertainty with the privatisation of four coal blocks in its area and it would also have an impact on employment opportunities. They mentioned that farmers’ agitations had forced the Centre to withdraw the three farm laws and with the same resolve, they would protect the coal blocks from privatisation.

Even if the Centre puts the coal blocks in Singareni area to auction, the workers’ unions would jointly oppose and block the operations in those blocks. Their fight was against allowing others take up mining in Singareni area and they would form a delegation to meet and explain the issue to Chief Minister, Coal Minister and Prime Minister.

They reminded the directors that it was with an united fight that they had brought back the company into profits when it went before the Board of Industrial Finance and Restructure (BIFR). They stated that the management would support alternative ways of protest without affecting the company’s operations and appealed them not to strike keeping in mind workers’ future and Telangana’s development.