Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology A. Raja has sought the intervention of the Coal Ministry to resolve the dispute at the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) at the earliest.
In a letter to Union Minister of State Shriprakash Jaiswal, Mr. Raja stated that wage revision was pending for NLC workers since January 1, 2007. Initially, the management agreed to sanction 3 per cent additional increment and 3 per cent service weightage from January 1, 2007.
During negotiations, it also agreed to pay 25 per cent of the fitment benefit with effect from the same date but went back on its promises. Now, the management was offering the benefits only for nine months with effect from September 1, 2009, Mr. Raja said in the letter, which was circulated to the media here.
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During negotiations, the management had agreed to pay enhanced allowances from January 1, 2009, but had now reluctantly agreed to give it only for five months. As per the guidelines of the Department of Public Enterprises, the allowances had to be implemented with effect from November 26, 2008.
Pointing out that the NLC management had given 18 months' arrears in allowances to employees in the last wage revision, Mr. Raja said these justifications had been presented to the management. As a last resort, the NLC Workers' Unions went on an indefinite strike from June 30.