UCIL workers go on indefinite strike

Workers of state-run Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL) have gone on an indefinite strike from on Tuesday demanding implementation of the wage revision agreement signed between the management and labour unions in March.

Of the four recognised labour unions, Singhbhum Uranium Mazdoor Union, Uranium Kamgaar Union (UKU) and Jadugora Labour Union have resorted to indefinite strike in all the units of UCIL including Turamdih, Narwapahar and Jadugora located in and around East Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharswan districts, Rajaram Singh, General Secretary, UKU said.

Sources at UCIL have confirmed the strike.

Negotiations with the labour unions were on to resolve the issue, they said.

Informing about the signing of the MOU, UCIL officials said it was forwarded to the higher authorities of the concerned department and the issue was pending at concerned ministry level for approval.

The issue will be settled soon, the sources said adding that the management has responded to some clarification sought by the ministry in this regard.

Asked about the impact of the strike, UCIL officials said the strike has affected production but emergency work remained unaffected.

Singh said a memorandum of understanding was signed between the UCIL management and the representatives of the labour unions in March last in regard to the wage revision of the employees but it was not yet implemented even six month after the pact.

Several rounds of meeting in connection with the implementation of the agreement had taken place since March, he said claiming that the workers have uninanimously decided to resort to indefinite strike following 12-hour inconclusive meeting between the management and the unions in presence of the representative of District Labour Commission on Sunday.

The doors are open for negotiation to settle the issue, Singh said, adding that we have asked the management to implement the agreement with immediate effect with an option to adjust or recover the amount, in case the concerned ministry refused to accept the agreement.

The employees are also losing the benefits of the day to day allowances since March last, Singh claimed.