Several collieries of BCCL, ECL and SAIL witnessed gate meetings, burning of effigies and demonstrations on Wednesday as a precursor to Thursday’s nationwide strike against privatisation of public sector units, commercialisation of mines, new labour and farm laws.

Talking to the media on Wednesday, national vice president of Rashtriya Colliery Mazdoor Sangh A.K. Jha, said, “All 10 trade unions including, namely, Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC), Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC), are united in their resolve to make the strike a success.”

Attacking the Union government for bringing in changes in labour laws, Jha said, “Altogether 44 labour laws related to workers have been changed to suit capitalist forces, and the rights related to carrying out strike and demonstrations have been drastically curtailed.”

Jha said the government did not consult workers while making changes in the laws. “At a time when unemployment is at its peak, public sector units are being sold to favoured capitalists at lower prices, aggravating the situation of unemployment,” he added.

On mining, Jha said the government’s move to allow commercial mining was intended to help capitalist forces which were always the favoured lot of the BJP- led Central Government.

“Nationalisation of coal mines carried out by the Central government in the early ’70s has made coal workers free from the oppressive practices of private miners. But now we are apprehending the return of same days of exploitation, oppression and reckless mining with private players coming into the scene,” he explained.