Divestment issue: Coal India headed for indefinite strike

KOLKATA: All India Coal Workers Federation and four other National Federations representing almost the entire 3.57 lakh employee force of Coal India, in a letter to the Prime Minister have threatened to go on an indefinite strike if the government carries on with its plan of divesting an additional 10% in the monopoly.

The unions claim that the government had promised no further divestment. However, as the UPA - II have now decided on divesting an additional 10% in Coal India, workers' feel it is a breach of commitment and resolved to go on an indefinite strike very soon.

The unions have requested for PM's intervention so that he prevails upon the ministries of disinvestment & coal and upholds the government's earlier commitment.

"I do believe that your effort would produce result. I may affirm on behalf of All India Coal Workers Federation and four other National Federations that if the Government decides to break the commitment made, coal workers too reserve to exercise their right to see that the government upholds the inviolability of the commitment. In a situation of break, we suppose that a strike will be evitable and in that eventuality, it is likely to be an indefinite strike. I on behalf of all the Federations request the PM to intervene and save the India's coal industry from the crisis which has arisen out of the decision," said Jiban Roy in his letter to the Prime Minister on behalf of all the unions of CIL.

The four other unions are Indian National Mine Workers' Federation affiliated to INTUC, Indian Mine Workers' Federation affiliated to (AITUC), Hind Khadan Mazdoor Federation affiliated to (HMS). All India Coal Workers Federation is affiliated to CITU.

"Pranab Mukherjee as the finance minister had promised us in writing that as long as the United Progressive Alliance government was in power there would be no additional divestment in Coal India. The recent development is in violation to this commitment," Jiban Roy, general secretary of All India Coal Workers Federation told ET.

The letter also mentioned that if the government sticks to its decision it would stand in violation to solemnity of the commitment it made.