'Complete strike' at Coal India, Singareni mines against Centre's decision to allow 100% FDI, claim trade unions

Kolkata: Trade unions on Tuesday claimed that production and dispatch has come to a “complete halt” at the mines of Coal India Ltd and Singareni Collieries Company Ltd, owing to the one-day strike against the Centre’s decision to allow 100 percent FDI in coal mining. Five federations representing over half-a-million workers of CIL and Singareni Collieries have called for the strike, seeking withdrawal of the central government’s move. [caption id=“attachment_6502881” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational Image courtesy: Ratan Lal/101Reporters[/caption] “Strike is total with complete stop in production, transportation and dispatch of coal from all mines – Assam to Singareni,” All India Coal Workers’ Federation General Secretary D D Ramanandan told PTI. Coal India, which accounts for nearly 80 percent of the total output of the dry fuel in the country, is likely to lose around 1.5 million tonne of production due to the stir. Officials of the mining major were not available for comments. Unions that served one-day strike notice are Indian National Mineworkers’ Federation (INTUC), Hind Khadan Mazdoor Federation (HMS), Indian Mineworkers’ Federation (AITUC), All India Coal Workers’ Federation (CITU) and All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU). Meanwhile, RSS-affiliated labour union Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), which is not a signatory with other federations to the one-day strike notice, is observing a five-day ceasework from Monday till 27 September on the same issue.