Strike not to affect power generation at Neyveli Lignite
By IANSWednesday, September 22, 2010
CHENNAI - A strike by 13,000 contract workers of Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) demanding pay parity with permanent workers and absorption entered the fourth day Wednesday, but the public sector firm said the strike would not hamper power generation.
“We don’t foresee any disruption in power generation for sometime now. In fact, the power generation has increased to 2,200 MW Wednesday, higher than what was generated when the workers struck work Sunday,” a company official told IANS.
The official said the lignite mining and conveyor systems were working well and power production should not be affected.
Workers belonging to the Labour Progressive Front and the Pattali Thozhir Sangam and NLC Jeeva Contract Workers’ Union have struck work largely to get higher pay after the permanent workers got a good wage deal in July 2010.
In 2008, it was also agreed that NLC would absorb around 5,000 workers based on their seniority and availability of vacant posts.
A contract worker at the NLC gets between Rs.3,000 and Rs.4,500 per month.
–Indo Asian News Service
