THE successful three days strike of coal workers from July 2-4, has been historical. Production in 436 coal mines and 176 other establishments of Coal India and SCCL was stopped and more than 5.3 lakh permanent workers and workers hired by the contractors had participated in this historical strike of coal industry.

The history of the coal mine workers is a history of unleashed exploitation of workers by private owners, the struggle of workers of more than 100 years has fetched the nationalisation of coal mines through Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act 1973 and other Acts between 1971 and 1973. The nationalisation of coal mines has brought a new era in the lives of coal workers, a change in the standard of living of workers, decrease in mine accidents, and a change in economy of the coal belt area. It has generated a large number of employment as well as opportunities of employment and proper compensation to land oustees. After nationalisation, environmental protection and reclamation of land was ensured up to some extent. Production was increased from 69 million tons to 730 million tons, out of which coal India had contributed 607 million tons. In the last fiscal, public sector-Coal Mines have contributed more than Rs 60,000 crores to central and state governments through taxes, GST, royalties, cess etc.

Despite all such major contributions, the coal mines have become the victim of devastating policies of the government. Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act 1973 was amended thrice and has allowed the industries to produce coal for their end use, but these mines were not allowed to produce coal for commercial use. After the installation of the Modi government, it promulgated an ordinance in 2014 for commercial mining and enacted it as an act on March 31, 2015 (special provisions) Act 2015. Through this Act, coal mines were allowed to operate by private players for commercial use i.e., production of coal and selling of coal on their own price. In August 2019, Modi government allowed 100 per cent FDI in coal industry and on March 13, 2020 it amended Mines and Mineral (Development & Regulation) Act, 2015, and Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act 2015, eliminating the concept of captive mines and removed the condition of possessing prior experience of coal mining to a bidder company. In May 2020, while the entire nation was under threat of Covid-19 and was under lockdown, the government took decision for auction of 50 coal blocks and announced several concessions to successful bidders out of which government allowed the allocation of block on payment of nominal amount in four instalments and introduced a system of payment to government on revenue sharing basis of 4 per cent or as declared in auction.

All such destructive steps of the government are going to endanger the entity of the public sector, coal mines. These commercial mines will shrink the market of public sector coal mines (CIL), will encourage slaughter mining which will lead to mine fire, subsidence and safety of workers. It will invite corruption on a large scale, will affect the rehabilitation and reclamation of land, will decrease the opportunity of employment in comparison to public sector mines, will increase the exploitation of workers in terms of their job security, social security and wage. CIL will be forced to curtail the existing  benefits of workers, i.e., future wage negotiations, regular salary payments, social security etc. The market crisis of these mines will lead to closure of maximum number of running mines and consequently to forced retirement or retrenchment of workers. The national and international scenario of energy transition and projection of government planning has a clear indication that our national demand of coal is not going to cross the line of 1,450 million tons in next five years where as the mines of CIL & SCCL and existing allocated blocks will be able to reach the production of 1,550 million tons in corresponding years and therefore there is no need of any commercial mining in existing pipe line of the nation. Secondly as far as the import of coal is concerned, out of 235 million tons which was imported last year, a major part consists of low ash content and steel grade coal, which is not available in Indian coal mines or is very costly to extract. In last ten years import of coal has ranged between 175 million tons to 240 million Tons

Since 2015, the coal workers have resembled coal strikes on the issue of commercial mining in 2015, 2019 and July, 2020. After an initiation by CITU, to go in for direct action in public sector industries, the All India Coal Workers' Federation held an office bearer meeting on June 4, 2020 and decided to organise agitation programme on June 10 and 11 i.e., on the day of inviting tender for auction of 41 coal blocks, and federation also initiated to hold dialogue with other trade unions to participate in agitation. This initiative got success to ensure the participation of four trade unions with a programme of observing virodh diwas on June 10 and ‘black day’ on June 11. These two programmes got overwhelming support of coal workers with a participation of 1.5 lakh workers. BMS organised separate agitation programmes on 10th. This participation of workers encouraged the trade unions to go in for direct action against the Modi government and on June 14 in a virtual meeting of central trade unions it was decided to observe a three days strike from July 2-4, 2020. On  June 18, a strike notice was served by five trade unions with a participation of above one lakh workers throughout the nation. During the interim period of serving strike notice and strike, were a number of telephonic dialogues and virtual meetings between five trade unions and CIL management, joint secretary, secretary and coal minister but  unions asserted that workers will not revert back from the strike till the government withdraws the decision of commercial mining. Due to Covid-19 the movement was restricted and the central leadership of federation could not reach all places of nine states, where coal mines are situated; but despite this constraint area and branch leadership had successfully made intensive campaigns in all the mines.  This unprecedented unity of trade unions and workers paralysed the coal industry throughout the country on July 2-4, 2020 in a three days strike.

The independent action and initiative of AICWF has converted into a joint action and which is proceeding to another one day strike on August 18, 2020 i.e., the day of closing of auction with a number of agitation programmes.