Coal workers call three-day strike in June

Five central trade unions of Coal India Ltd have called a three-day strike from June 19 to demand an early settlement of wage negotiations and to denounce the merger of coal miners Provident Fund with the EPFO, a union leader said on Wednesday.

The strike decision was taken after the failure of third National Wage Board meeting held on May 8 and 9 in New Delhi.

The five unions - Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Indian National Trade Union Congress, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Hind Mazdoor Sabha and All India Trade Union Congress - represent almost 90 per cent of the workmen in the industry.

"We are demanding no merger of Coal Mines Provident Fund Organisation (CMPF) with the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)," Indian National Mine workers Federation (INTUC) Secretary General S.Q. Zama said.

"The proposed merger is not in favour of coal workers. In fact, the CMPF Act, 1948, is totally different from the EPF law. The government, without taking operating unions into confidence, is trying to merge these against our wishes," he said.

They also demanded early settlement of wage negotiation.

"The rule suggests that wages of workmen at Coal India have to be negotiated with the management every five years. The National Coal Wage Agreement (NCWA) IX expired in June last year and the NCWA X is overdue," Zama said.

The unions also demanded equal wages for equal work for workmen under contract with different contractors and working at Coal India Ltd mines.