CITU Calls for solidarity with COAL WORKERS’ COUNTRYWIDE UNITED STRIKE

CITU Calls for solidarity with COAL WORKERS’ COUNTRYWIDE UNITED STRIKE  ON 23-25 SEPTEMBER, 2013 AGAINST DISINVESTMENT AND DESTRUCTURING19.09.2013 The Centre of Indian Trade Unions extends total support to the all in united countrywide strike action against Govt of India’s move for further dose disinvestment of shares of Coal India Ltd in gross violation of the concrete commitment of the Govt, the Coal Minister in particular not to go in for further divestment in CIL. All the major five workers’ Federations of coal workers affiliated to INTUC, BMS, AITUC, CITU and HMS have jointly given the call for three days strike action in Coal industry on 23-25 September 2013 and following the same other trade unions in the industry have also announced their resolve to join the strike action. Through the strike action, the coal workers are also voicing their firm opposition to the move of the Govt of India to dismantle the present structure of Coal India Ltd comprising nine coal companies/units as its integral part and is planning to separate each coal companies/units/establishment as independent units. When in the era of liberalization, further consolidation of strength of the entire public sector coal industry under Coal India Ltd is the urgent need of the hour, the retrograde move of the Govt to dismantle Coal India in the name of so called restructuring is aimed at weakening the public sector coal industry and make this vital natural resources a plundering ground for private corporate and traders, both domestic and foreign and pave the way for its privatization. The workers through the three days strike action are going to demonstrate their firm resolve to resist such nefarious design. In the preparatory campaign for strike going on jointly throughout the coal mines and establishments all over the country , the coal workers are responding magnificently. CITU believes, the three days united strike action by the coal workers is going to encourage and inspire anti-disinvestment struggle in all the public sector units in the country. CITU denounces the arrest of Shri Ramendra Kumar, President AITUC and a leading figure in the coal workers’ movement and not granting him bail for more than a month now on flimsy charges and demands his immediate release. While reiterating its wholehearted support to the united three day strike action by the coal workers on 23-25 September 2013, CITU calls upon all its affiliated unions and particularly those in public sector units and the working class in general to hold solidarity demonstration in support of coal workers countrywide strike and send telegram/fax to Prime Minister and Coal Minister opposing disinvestment/privatization. -:-