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Title: Regarding National Coal Workers Wage Agreement VIII.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA (BANKURA): Sir, more than five lakh workers in Coal India Mines will go on strike on 5th and 6th January, 2009. Earlier, the CITU, the All-India Coal Workers Federation called a strike on 18th and 19th of this month. As all the other five Central Trade Unions jointly decided to call a strike, this has been deferred to 5th and 6th January, 2009.
The demand is about the settlement of the National Coal Workers Wage Agreement-VIII which is due since 2006. Instead of having the wage revision in five years, now, the Government is deciding to extend it to ten years. So, there is a demand that immediately the JBCCI should be called and it should decide on the wage revision of more than five lakh coal workers. They have also demanded that the minimum wage should be Rs.11,000/- Already, the wages of officers have
* Not recorded.
been enhanced.… (Interruptions) The workers’ wages have not been revised. The JBCCI has not been called to decide on the wage revision.
MR. SPEAKER: Please conclude now.
Shri Bansa Gopal Chowdhury and
Shri Sunil Khan also associate with it.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA : There is also a demand for regularization. Thousands of workers are engaged in this coal industry. There are contract workers. They are not given even the minimum wages. So, there is a demand that the contract workers should be regularized and there should be a wage structure for the workers engaged in the private sector. A number of blocks have been handed over to the private sector. There is no wage structure in the private sector coal mines. There is a demand that there should be a wage structure for the workers engaged in the private sector and the outsourced mines. They should be brought under the NCWA-VIII.
MR. SPEAKER: Next, Dr. Arun Kumar Sarma. Shri Acharia, please cooperate.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA : This is a case of more than five lakh workers and it should not be delayed.
MR. SPEAKER: I have allowed you to raise it. I am only saying that there is a time limit. You made your point.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA : Further, a strike notice has already been served. So, the Government should take immediate decision and call the JBCCI to take a decision to finalise the NCWA-VIII Agreement.
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Acharia, please cooperate. Dr. Arun Kumar Sarma – not present. Shri Francis George.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA : The Government should respond. It is a case of five lakh workers. … (Interruptions) The hon. Labour Minister is here.
MR. SPEAKER: I cannot compel him. This system cannot be there. It cannot go on like this.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA : Sir, you cannot put pressure on the hon. Minister. The Government should respond.… (Interruptions) [R8]
MR. SPEAKER: I have allowed you because of the importance of the matter but that cannot mean that you can speak for ten minutes. It is not a matter for discussion.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA : Sir, a strike has been called. He should respond to this… (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I do not know whether he should respond. I am not his guardian. I wish I was.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA : Sir, the hon. Labour Minister wants to respond… (Interruptions)
THE MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI OSCAR FERNANDES): Sir, I shall take up the matter.
MR. SPEAKER: I have called the name of Mr. Francis George.
SHRI K. FRANCIS GEORGE (IDUKKI): Shall I speak, Sir?
MR. SPEAKER: Unless you start, you will lose your opportunity.
… (Interruptions)