(Minews) - A number of trade unions in India have shut down production at coalfields, starting what's being billed as the biggest strike action in their history. Miners oppose a plan to allow private entities to sell coal.
Five major unions representing workers at state-run Coal India Limited (CIL) on Tuesday began their five-day walkout in protest of a government plan to let private firms mine and sell coal.
"This will probably be the biggest ever strike in the industry; the power sector may be hit by a prolonged strike," said Gurudas Dasgupta, the general secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC).
The walkout started with the first shift on Tuesday and is scheduled to end with the third shift on January 10.
Profits over investment?The government recently renewed an ordnance for the reallocation and auctioning off of coal blocks, with the auctions being open to private bidders.
According to New Delhi Television (NDTV), the Electricity Employees Federation of India (EEFI) signaled support for the current strike action. It called the controversial Electricity Amendment Bill another step "to curb the right to electricity for people in India, making broad way for private capitalists in the power sector towards super profit without investment."
NDTV reported on its website the strike could result in production loss of up to 1.5 million tons of coal a day.
India is the world's third-largest coal producer, after China and the US.
