ON the call of all major central trade unions -- BMS, INTUC, AITUC, CITU and HMS, a five-day coal industry strike began across the country on January 7. CITU-affiliated All India Coal Workers Federation general secretary Jibon Roy said about seven lakh workers have joined the strike. The strike call, for the biggest industrial action for any sector since 1977, has been given by the five leading trade unions of the country, which is likely to affect production of up to 1.5 million tonnes of coal a day. Massive strike also affects fuel supply to the country’s 58 thermal power plants, which are already grappling with fuel shortages. Coal Workers are protesting against disinvestment and restructuring of state-run Coal India Ltd. and to press for their other demands including the roll-back of, what they call, the process of denationalising of the coal sector. Almost 100 per cent of Coal India Ltd. workers are participating in the agitation. Only a handful of emergency services were continuing. There was picketing outside the CIL headquarters in Kolkata and every colliery in the Asansol-Raniganj coal belt under ECL & BCCL area. Meanwhile, electricity workers union EEFI has also extended its support to the strike call. CIL, which accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal production, has a workforce of over three lakh. AICWF Calls Off its One-Day Strike Call THE CITU-affiliated All India Coal Workers’ Federation (AICWF) has decided to withdraw its one-day strike call in the coal sector on January 13 in view of the unity achieved among different workers’ associations and unions. In a statement, former MP and general secretary of AICWF Jibon Roy greeted the workers for the biggest industrial action in any industry after 1977 with participation of seven lakh workers and involvement of one crore people distributed in 38 backward districts. Nevertheless, the platform of charter for the January 13 strike will continue to be the charter of dignity for coal workers, he said, adding AICWF desires the government to take this massive strike as the mandate against the current stage of reforms. (END)