Team News Riveting
Raipur, March 9
The trade unions have resorted to illegal strike at the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) for payment of wage arrears despite the management and competent authorities’ plea for peace as conciliation proceedings are under way and the file is with the authorities for approval.
The NMDC management has intimated the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central) at New Delhi that the trade unions have resorted to willful slowdown of work and work-to-rule with effect from March 6, 2025 that tantamount to illegal strike. The conciliation proceedings before the Chief Labour Commissioner at New Delhi has been posted for March 17, 2025. But before the meeting, the trade unions resorted to strike.
In the last meeting, the conciliation officer (CO) in its order has asked both NMDC management and the trade unions to settle the issue amicably. The CO also requested the trade unions not to precipitate the matter and go on strike since the matter is seized in conciliation.
Interestingly, the leaders of the trade unions have signed the minutes of the proceedings and endorsed maintaining industrial peace and harmony. Setting aside the practice, the trade unions called for the strike.
According to sources, an agreement has already been reached between the trade unions and the management of the NMDC in connection with the wage settlement. The matter was referred to the ministry of steel for their confirmation. The NMDC management has been pursuing the case with the ministry and has been timely updating the union leaders about the outcome.
The charter of demands (COD) was submitted by the unions in February 27, 2023. The NMDC management acted swiftly and reached consensus with the trade unions within 8 months. In August 2024, the bilateral sub-committee submitted its recommendations. Subsequently, the NMDC board put its stamp on the proposal in September 2024.
The strike has severely affected the production at the NMDC that is already battling to meet the annual target. With the onset of the last month of the financial year, the state-run miner is behind the target. The production has fallen by over 60 per cent in the last couple of days posing a big challenge for the company to even achieve the output recorded in the last financial year.
The strike has severely affected the production at the NMDC that is already battling to meet the annual target. With the onset of the last month of the financial year, the state-run miner is behind the target. The production has fallen by over 60 per cent in the last couple of days posing a big challenge for the company to even achieve the output recorded in the last financial year.
The management has been appealing to the trade unions to avoid taking extreme steps as it is not in the interest of the nation, company and even employees.
