Coal news and updates

Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh (BMS), one of the five  major national trade unions, has decided to oppose the Centre’s coal mines (special provisions) Bill introduced in the Parliament replacing the recent ordinance.

 

The Bill aims to allow participation of private players in commercial coal mining which has been the monopoly of the State-run Coal India Limited (CIL) so far.

 

In a press statement, BMS coal trade union leaders here said all the members of the unions working in coal mines of CIL have started opposing the Bill by going to duty wearing black badges. They demanded withdrawal of the Bill which they termed as “anti-national”.

 

They feared that if the private players will mine and sell coal in open market, the public sector CIL, the largest coal company in the world, will be ruined. “The livelihood of lakhs of CIL workers will be affected and the nation’s natural resources looted like iron ore,” they stated.

 

Earlier, BMS stayed away from the national strike called by four other trade unions on the issue on November 24.

 

The strike was, however, put off by the unions except Central Trade Industrial Union (CITU) on the ground that the Government had assured of holding talks with them before introduction of the Bill.

 

 

Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/