The much-awaited Standardization Committee meeting on coal workers’ bonus, scheduled in Delhi on Monday, has been postponed after Kolkata High Court’s double bench upheld an earlier single bench order allowing INTUC’s National Mine Workers’ Federation to participate. The decision has left 2.2 lakh Coal India workers, including 42,000 from Dhanbad, in uncertainty ahead of Durga Puja.
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Meeting Called Off, Workers Wait
The meeting was expected to finalise this year’s bonus, with participation from top Coal India management, directors of BCCL, CCL, ECL, CMPDI, and representatives from HMS, BMS, AITUC, and CITU. Following the court order, the meeting was called off at the last moment. Coal India officials said they will consult legal experts before deciding the next course of action.
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Unions See Court Order as Moral Victory
INTUC’s national vice-president and JBCCI leader Anoop Singh, who had camped in Delhi with other federation members, termed the order a big win. “This is a step towards ensuring justice for miners. We will continue to fight to secure workers’ rightful share,” he said. Supporters of INTUC celebrated after the verdict, calling it an important step to check management’s unilateral decisions.
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Pressure on Coal India to Announce Relief
Union leaders demanded that Coal India management release Rs. 1 lakh as interim bonus to workers, pointing out that last year’s payout was Rs. 93,750. BMS and AITUC representatives also urged management to consider advance payment so workers do not face hardship during the festival season. Opposition unions accused the company of acting under government pressure, leading to the deadlock.
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Next Steps Awaited
With the meeting suspended until further orders, all eyes are now on the coal ministry and Coal India headquarters in Kolkata for the next move. Whether an interim relief is announced or management waits for the final court order will determine if the bonus is credited before the Puja festivities begin.
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