The biggest industrial strike by coal unions in 30 years, which led to zero coal stocks at nearly a third of the 50 thermal plants across the country, was called off late on Wednesday night after negotiations that extended to over six hours.
Coal Minister Piyush Goyal and Coal India Limited (CIL) Chairperson Sutirtha Bhattacharya met representatives of coal workers belonging to five Central trade unions at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
At 10 p.m., union representatives said they were hopeful of a resolution and were withdrawing the strike, though the details were still being discussed. The central unions went on a five-day strike on Tuesday, for the first time since 1984, demanding withdrawal of the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Ordinance, 2014, which will allow commercial mining from blocks allotted to private firms. At present, blocks are allotted to companies with restrictions on the end use.
“We are withdrawing the strike and are finalising the resolution,” CPI-affiliated All-India Trade Union Congress’s (AITUC) Indian Mine Workers Federation leader Ramrendra Kumar told TheHindu.
The strike had turned violent earlier in the day when three CIL workers on strike were injured in police action at collieries Lalmatiya in Godda, Jharkhand.
The strike has already caused an output loss of 1.5 million tonnes in two days. On Wednesday, 290 of 438 CIL collieries remained closed.
The strike was threatening to cripple electricity supply in many States. The notice for the strike beginning on January 6 was given by the RSS’s trade union wing BMS, CPI-affiliated AITUC, and INTUC of the Congress on December 17.
CPI(M)-affiliated CITU had earlier given a call for a strike on January 13, but later decided to join in the five-day strike from January 6. Earlier in November, BMS had stayed away from a strike called on November 24 by the other Central trade unions. Now, with all five Central unions joining in, the strike is seen as the biggest in the sector since the 1980s.
