The Central Trade Unions congratulated coal workers for a “total strike” against the Centre’s decision to allow 100 per cent FDI in mining.
The trade unions estimated that the one-day strike has caused a 2.13 million tonne drop in coal production and a loss of ₹4,000 crore.
Responding to Coal Minister Prahlad Joshi’s statement that no meetings had been called yet between the trade unions and the Centre, the federations said both the Coal Ministry and the Central Labour Commissioner had invited the unions for conciliatory talks.
“The Ministry had invited us for a discussion on September 19. We decided to boycott it as there is no change in the Centre’s decision to allow 100 per cent FDI in mining,” said All India Coal Workers Federation (CITU) general secretary DD Ramanandan.
