Coal mine workers’ union plans to take legal action against WCL
Rashtriya Koyla Khadan Mazdoor Sangh, affiliated to Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), is planning to explore the possibility of a legal remedy against the management of Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) in order to get participation in all bipartite and tripartite forums. Recently, WCL issued its yearly industrial relation (IR) calendar but excluded RKKMS out of the five central trade unions (CTUs).
According to sources, this is due to misinterpretation of an order issued by the ministry of coal to debar INTUC representatives from attending JBCCI-X (joint bipartite committee for the coal industry) meetings at national level. Subsidiaries of Coal India Limited (CIL) went ahead and banned unions registered under Trade Union Act i.e. RKKMS, RCMS and RCSS because INTUC is their parent union.
Meanwhile, workers of coal industry are disappointed due to unprecedented delay in pay revision which is due since July 2016. They are under the impression that allowances which will be given in the form of arrears from July 2016 will be curtailed as is the earlier practice of the wage board. This has added to their woes.
PRO of RKKMS Pradeep Kokas said, “INTUC affiliated union RCSS (Rashtriya Colliery Sangharsh Samiti) of NCL (Northern Coalfields Limited) reached Jabalpur High Court and got relief of participation in all subsidiaries level meetings for negotiation while OCMS (Orissa Colliery Mazdoor Sangh) union sorted out the matter internally with MCL (Mahanadi Coalfields Limited) to exercise their rights. WCL has not officially denied RKKMS such a chance, but it is not inviting the body for forum discussions. This may force us to go in for a legal remedy,” Kokas said.
This is an infringement of Trade Union Act 1926 which allows representatives of unions to resolve demands and grievances of workers, said SQ Zama, secretary general of Indian National Mineworkers Federation (INMF). He said, “RKKMS has an independent identity. Its involvement will enhance productivity and help in quick decision making as matters of promotions, employment to dependant and age disputes are pending. We don’t have a say in the safety board as well and this raises a question on safety of our workers and mines.”
He said that in previous nine national coal wage agreements (NCWA), INTUC had successfully proposed 25% hike in pay revisions. Zama said, “Even after several meetings of JBCCI-X, nothing concrete has been done regarding wages of coal workers across India. Workers are now worried that only 15% hike will be the call this time.”
Sources also revealed that NCWA always saw six out 18 representatives belonging to INTUC by virtue of its highest membership in coal industries. But now, the number has plunged to four owing to political pressure.
Power sector sees coal supply from CIL rising to 420MT in FY17
The supply of coal by state-owned Coal India to power sector increased by 1.3 per cent to 420.2 million tonnes (MT) in 2016-17.
The increase in supply comes at a time when demand of coal by the power sector has picked up on back of economy doing well.
Coal India Ltd (CIL) which accounts for over 80 per cent of the domestic coal production had dispatched 414.7 MT of fuel in FY 2015-16, according to latest government data.
However, in March, the dispatch of coal by CIL declined by around seven per cent to 34.6 MT from 37.1 MT in March 2016, the data said.
The overall dispatch of coal by the PSU increased by 1.6 per cent to 543.2 MT in 2016-17 from over 534.5 MT in the preceding fiscal.
Coal Secretary Susheel Kumar had earlier said, the demand of coal by the power sector has picked up since December as the economy was doing well.
"The demand of coal by the power sector has picked up since December. I feel that generally economy is doing well so our demand is therefore increasing," Kumar said.
A series of measures have been taken by CIL to make more coal available for power sector such as offer coal under special forward e-auction scheme exclusively for the sector, the government had said.
Besides, measures like reduced reserve price and earnest money deposit to make e-auctions attractive, no performance incentives on higher grades of coal have also been taken up, it said.
Coal India is eyeing one billion tonnes of production target by 2020.
Apple will stop relying on mining for minerals ‘one day’
Apple is taking steps to end its reliance on mining for the materials that it uses in its devices, becoming the first big tech company to commit to using only recycled metals, rare earths, and other minerals. The company outlined its aim to stop digging up new resources in its latest Environmental Responsibility Report (PDF), released today. In the document, Apple says that it plans to “one day” move to a closed-loop manufacturing system (in which it can get all the metals and rare earths it needs from recycle and reuse programs), but that it’s not entirely sure how to get to that poin
http://www.theverge.com/2017/4/19/15365730/apple-mining-end-environmental-report-2017
Tata Steel seeks export opportunities in South East Asian market
Tata Steel on Wednesday said it was looking at higher exports this year and seeking opportunities in South East Asian market following strong prices.
"We are looking at higher exports in the current year as the South East Asian market is growing quite well and there is no reason why we should not participate in that," Tata Steel Managing Director T V Narendran told reporters on the sidelines of India Steel Expo here.
The international prices were also very strong till very recently, he said.
Commenting on the steel industry's growth prospects, Narendran said, a lot of investment will be needed to drive growth of steel sector. Either industry generates it or investors find it attractive and put in money.
The growth of India's steel industry will be a great opportunity for the capital equipment market across the world. This is an opportunity for them to invest in India, he pointed out.
Meanwhile, Tata Steel on Wednesday bagged the PM's trophy for best performing integrated steel plant for the year 2013-14, the Steel Minister's Trophy for the year 2012-13 and a Certificate of Excellence 2011-12 for being the 'Best Performing Integrated Steel Plant' in the country.
The PM's trophy recognises integrated steel companies that have an outstanding performance in the vital sector of the national economy, which draws heavily on national resources of capital and skilled manpower.
Rains cut Rio Q1 iron ore output 3 pct
Global miner Rio Tinto <RIO.AX> <RIO.L> on Thursday said first-quarter iron production from Australia fell 3 percent from the same period a year ago due to wet weather at its mines, but kept its full-year guidance intact despite weakening ore prices. Pilbara mines output totaled 77.2 million tonnes, the company said. Full-year shipping guidance was kept at 330 million-340 million tonnes. Shipments from the Australian mines in the first quarter were flat at 76.7 million tonnes aginst the year-ago period, but down 13 percent from the previous quarter. Ship loading was impacted by a cyclone, with parts of its rail line hit by heavy rainfall. "Despite these disruptions, shipments were in line with the first quarter of 2016 and guidance for 2017 remains at 330 to 340 million tonnes," the company said. Rio Tinto and rivals Vale <VALE5.SA>, BHP Billiton <BHP.AX> <BLT.L> and Fortescue Metals Group <FMG.AX> are facing a rapidly declining iron ore price amid waning demand from China, the biggest market for ore. The worldwide iron ore surplus reached 70 million tonnes last year - more than total U.S. consumption last year - and could balloon to 90 million tonnes in 2017, according to Citigroup. Iron ore prices are down more than 33 percent since a mid-February peak of $94.86 a tonne and forecasters are warning of a further pullback. Australia's Department of Industry, Innovation and Science predicted iron ore prices would backtrack to U$55 a tonne in the fourth quarter. Next year's forecast calls for iron ore prices to reach $51.60 a tonne, according to the department. In other minerals, Rio Tinto stuck to a full-year target of producing between 3.5 million 3.7 million tonnes of aluminium following a 2 percent rise in first-quarter production. But mined copper guidance was reduced to 500,000-550,000 tonnes from as much as 665,000 tonnes as a result of a strike at the Escondida mine in Chile and the curtailment of production at the Grasberg mine in Indonesia. Refined copper production guidance remains unchanged at 185,000 to 225,000 Rio said.
Read more: http://www.nasdaq.com/article/rains-cut-rio-q1-iron-ore-output-3-pct-20170419-01404#ixzz4elT9Fn6m
Warm Regards
Anurag Singal
Sr Manager –Business Development
Essel Mining & Industries Ltd
14th Floor, Industry House
10,Camac Street –Kol-71
Ph: 033-30518415,9088026252
A NEW MARK FOR NEW MILESTONES
The information contained in this electronic communication is intended solely for the individual(s) or entity to which it is addressed. It may contain proprietary, confidential and/or legally privileged information. Any review, retransmission, dissemination, printing, copying or other use of, or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information by person(s) or entities other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us by responding to this email or telephone and immediately and permanently delete all copies of this message and any attachments from your system(s). The contents of this message do not necessarily represent the views or policies of Aditya Birla Group. Computer viruses can be transmitted via email. Aditya Birla Group Companies attempts to sweep e-mails and attachments for viruses, it does not guarantee that either are virus free. The recipient should check this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Aditya Birla Group does not accept any liability for any damage sustained as a result of viruses.
No comments:
Post a Comment