Tamil Nadu   

NLC workers observe a token strike

NEYVELI: A section of the Neyveli Lignite Corporation workers, owing allegiance to the Joint Action Council of 12 trade unions, observed a token strike from 10 p.m. on Friday to 10 p.m. on Saturday.

They obstructed movement of NLC buses carrying employees to mines and power stations for the night shift on Friday. The management withdrew its entire fleet of buses on Saturday. The police have enhanced security at the NLC.

Members of the Labour Progressive Front, the major union, reported for duty. Official sources said only 10 per cent of the workers were absent. The strike did not impact lignite excavation or power generation.

The wage revision was due on January 1, 2007. The LPF has been urging the management to give an interim relief till the issue is resolved. More than 10 rounds of talks yielded an agreement on ad hoc payment ranging from Rs.14,000 to Rs.25,500. The LPF executive committee, that met here on Friday, approved it amid opposition from some members.

The management is likely to disburse the ad hoc payment either on Tuesday or Wednesday.

The Joint Action Committee, consisting of the HMC, the CITU, the AITUC, the MLF and the AICCPU, rejected the agreement. It wants the interim relief paid on a recurring basis.

CITU leader V. Muthuvel told The Hindu that the Committee had put forth at least five demands. They are, payment of 35 per cent of the basic pay plus dearness allowance as an interim relief on a monthly basis; revision of conveyance allowance with effect from April 1, 2004; payment of incentive bonus; trade union elections through secret ballot and inviting unions that polled 10 per cent of the votes for talks; and payment of minimum bonus (8.33 per cent) to contract labourers.

Mr. Muthuvel said because of the rain and the festival season, the Committee was going slow on its agitation programme. However, to register its protest against the ad hoc payment, it had called for the token strike. After Deepavali, it would meet again to discuss the future course of action.

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