Neyveli Lignite Corporation workers call off strike

Neyveli (TN): In a surprise development, the trade unions spearheading the 39-day-old indefinite strike by employees of state-run Neyveli Lignite Corporation over wage revision on Thursday  announced suspension of the agitation.

The strike by around 12,000 regular employees is being called off temporarily and the workers would report for duty from the night shift today, leaders of AIADMK and DMK affiliated trade unions told reporters here.

However, they did not cite any reason for the suspension of the strike, which largely did not affect normal operations of the thermal power plants operated by the NLC as 10,000 contract employees and officers attended to their work. The decision to suspend the strike was taken at a meeting of office-bearers of various trade unions participating in the agitation and the next course of action would be announced soon, AIADMK union leader, A. Abbu and DMK’s Thirumavalavan said.

The unions boycotted the fresh conciliatory talks convened by NLC chairman B. Surender Mohan in Chennai Thursday. Reacting to the development, Surendra Mohan welcomed the decision.

 “NLC will not take any vindictive action,” he told PTI. In the last round of talks held, the unions insisted on their demand of 16 per cent increase in wages while NLC offered 13 per cent.