JOIN USCoal workers on Wednesday night called off their nationwide strike after two days, as the government assured trade unions that the state-run Coal India Ltd (CIL) will not be privatised and the employees’ interest will be protected.
In two days, the strike caused production loss of an estimated Rs 300 crore with over 75 per cent of the daily 1.5 million tonnes a day output taking a hit.
There were also apprehensions that a prolonged strike could lead to a possible electricity crisis, if nearly 100 thermal power plants ran out of fuel supplies.
Nearly five lakh coal workers had gone on a strike on Tuesday after five major trade unions, including BJP-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, gave a call for the biggest ever industrial action in four decades against what they called the attempts for “disinvestment in Coal India and denationalisation of coal mining”.
“There is no intention for denationalisation of CIL. The present and future interest of CIL employees will not be affected in any manner. The CIL will be protected and there need be no apprehension about its ownership or management going into private hands,” Coal and Power Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters.