Coal Miners Prepare For Countrywide Struggle

M K Pandhe

THE remarkable unity achieved by the six lakh coal workers all over India during their preparation for a week-long strike in August this year, to oppose the bill to privatise the coal industry and to press for other burning demands, has generated great enthusiasm among them. The successful preparations jointly made by all the five federations, along with other unions, to oppose the NDA government’s economic policies, forced the central government to climb down from its high and mighty position and to accede to the major demands of coal workers.

THE GOVERNMENT’S

COMMITMENTS

The government had to accept that it would have detailed discussions with the unions in coal industry on the demand and supply position of coal in the country. It was also to discuss how the Coal India Ltd (CIL) would be able to meet the requirement of coal during the 10th and 11th five-year plan periods. A group of ministers (GoM) was to hold detailed discussions with the trade unions, pending which the bill to denationalise the coal industry was not to be taken up in parliament for consideration and passage.

The government had also to accept that a joint bipartite committee for coal industry (JBCCI) would be constituted by the end of September and negotiations would commence for the next round of wage revision. The NDA government had to commit that a joint revival package would be prepared for the ECL, BCCL, CCL and NEC through detailed discussions with the trade unions. Even the tender notice to sell the Dankuni Coal Complex was to be kept in abeyance, pending discussions with the trade unions on the revival package.

The other pending issues of the workers were also to be settled through negotiations.

The government of India had to accept these demands in the face of total closure of coal mines for 7 days and the possibility of closing down of even thermal power stations in large parts of the country.

NON-IMPLEMENTATION

OF THE AGREEMENT

However, both the ministry of coal and the CIL management were not serious about implementing these commitments. It is now clear that their intention was only to somehow or other avoid the then impending, massive strike action by the coal workers all over India.

This is clear from the fact that more than 3 months have passed after signing the settlement, but the CIL management and the government of India have not implemented even a single clause of the agreement. This can be seen from the following facts.

a) No meaningful discussion has been started either at the level of ministry of coal or at the level of group of ministers.

b) Though implementation of the new agreement was to commence retrospectively, from 18 months earlier, the JBCCI has not yet been constituted even after more than one month of the committed date. Even several clauses of the agreement have remained unimplemented, while the management is unilaterally curtailing some existing facilities.

c) The management has not yet started any meaningful discussion for a revival package for the ECL, BCCL, CCL and NEC. While the management is going ahead with its own unilateral proposal made before the Board of Industrial & Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) and operating agencies, it is not prepared to consider a single suggestion given by the trade unions. Regarding the NEC, the management has bluntly refused to make any proposal for making it a viable company. The CIL management has unilaterally returned even Rs 55 crores sanctioned by the central government for the NEC.

d) Regarding the Dankuni Coal Complex, the unions have submitted to the management a detailed revival package. However, from the side of the management, there has been no attempt to prepare any proposal to make the unit viable. The CIL management is contemplating to sell the unit to a private party at throwaway prices.

e) Regarding the other pending issues of the workers, the less said the better. The management has clearly indicated that it has no intention to settle the matter through negotiations. It is adopting dilatory tactics without commencing any worthwhile talks with the trade unions.

DILATORY

TACTICS OF CIL

Despite the CIL holding some meetings of the committees, there has not been either any result or any conclusion. Several of the issues still remain unresolved, for years together. All protests voiced by the unions have fallen on deaf years.

Coal workers all over India have expressed strong reaction against this attitude of the CIL management, and demanded an early resolution of the issues that were committed to be settled at the time of the proposed nationwide strike of coal workers.

Serious corruption, contractisation, downsizing of manpower and non-observation of safety rules are galore in coal mines. Theft of coal and illegal mining are going on in broad daylight, without any action by the authorities. All these factors have added to the gravity of the situation.

Meeting at Raniganj on November 1 and 2, the working committee of the All India Coal Workers Federation (AICWF) reviewed the situation in the coal industry. It then decided to prepare for a nationwide movement in cooperation with other federations in the industry.

NEW CHARTER

OF DEMANDS

The meeting considered a new draft of the charter of demands and decided to finalise it by the end of December. All the unions would then submit the charter of demands, amid demonstrations, on December 16. The federation has appealed to all other federations in the industry to chalk out a common programme of action in order to compel the CIL management and the ministry of coal to implement the commitments given to the trade unions.

The AICWF has decided to organise a campaign in all the coal mines to publicise the joint demands raised by five federations and the charter of demands prepared by the AICWF.

The working committee also decided to hold the fifth national conference of the AICWF at Singrauli (Madhya Pradesh) from January 17 to 19, 2003. Over 250 delegates from all the coal mines in India will participate in the conference. The committee further decided to organise a membership drive, so that the federation’s strength can be increased and bigger movements in the country developed.

The AICWF has also decided to send 25 delegates from all the coal fields to participate in the second congress of International Energy and Mines Organisation (IEMO), to be held at Kochi from November 15 to 17 coming.