Coal workers unions postpone nationwide strike for three months following discussion with officials

Kolkata: Following a "positive meeting" with Union Labour Department and Coal India officials, the central trade unions operating in the coal industry on Sunday deferred their proposed three-day strike, supposed to commence from Monday, for three months.[caption id="attachment_3464280" align="alignleft" width="380"] Representational image. AFP.[/caption]"In view of the positive discussion, the proposed three-day nationwide strike from 19-21 June 2017 has been deferred for next three months," INTUC-backed, Indian National Mineworkers Federation (INMF) said in a statement."On interference by Deputy Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), Kolkata in the proposed strike called by five operating central trade unions i.e. INTUC, BMS, HMS, AITUC, CITU through a notice served to Secretary (Coal), Chairman, CIL and CMD, Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. for their seven-point charter of demand has been put on hold for having positive discussion and recording here at Kolkata on Sunday," it added.Coal unions had called for the strike opposing the merger of Coal Mines Provident Fund into Employees Provident Fund.On Friday, the detailed discussion was held with Coal Secretary regarding the proposed merger."The Centre has stated that it has not taken any decision to merge the EPF and the CMPF and there is no such proposal pending with the ministry," said INMF's Secretary General SQ Zama.As far as full implementation of the National Coal Wage Agreement (NCWA) IX agreement, especially the clause of unfitness of coal workers which is not being implemented by the subsidiaries of CIL, the management stated that the pending issues will be discussed in the Joint Bipartite Committee for Coal Industry (JBCCI), the unions said.