People's Democracy

AROUND six lakh coal mine workers across the country are going on a three day strike from December 3-5, 2001 in protest against the policies of the central government and to press for their 16 point charter of demands. The strike call is given by AITUC, BMS, CITU and HMS unions in coal industry.

The joint meeting convened by the Union Coal Minister on November 25, to consider the issues pertaining to the strike notice served by the unions, failed to resolve the issue. Exhibiting an adamant attitude, the government refused to concede any demand from the 16 point charter of demands submitted by the unions.

The representatives of the unions demanded that the minimum demands of the workers viz., withdrawal of the Bill on privatisation of the coal mining sector, full payment of arrears before December 2001 and restructuring of Coal India Ltd as a unitary company must at least be considered by the government. Ramvilas Paswan, the Union Coal Minister expressed his inability to accept these minimum proposals.

Thereafter the union leaders M K Pandhe (President , All India Coal Workers Federation ICWF/CITU), Jayant Poddar (President, Hind Khandan Mazdoor Federation/HMS), Sunil Sen (general secretary, IMWF/AITUC) Dr B K Ray (BMS), in a joint statement called on the workers to make the strike a grand success.