As non-exec headcount falls, wage revision impact likely to be softer for CIL

With its headcount steadily falling, Coal India’s financial outgo on account of wage revision for its non-executive workforce is likely to soften. The PSU is witnessing reduction in employees to the tune of 13,000-14,000 per annum, and the fall is likely to grow due to natural attrition in the coming years.

In July this year, the trade unions had raised a demand for a 50% wage hike during the first round of negotiations in the National Coal Wage Agreement (NCWA)-XI. The second round of negotiations – held on Monday – remained inconclusive, but sources said the unions stuck to their demand of 50% wage hike, citing huge reduction in workforce and increase in working hours. On its part, the CIL management pointed to the drop in revenues owing to the Covid-19 induced slowdown, they said.