NLC strike: Tripartite talks fail

Chennai, June 10 (UNI) The striking contract workers of the public sector Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) today decided to continue their stir as the tripartite talks, held here to break the impasse, failed.

The talks, held between the representatives of Tamil Nadu Labour Commission, NLC management and contract workers, failed to find a solution, official sources said.

Emerging out of the meeting, AITUC Deputy General Secretary H Mahadevan, representing the contract workers, said the NLC management refused to commit on minimum wages. ''We have no option, but to continue the strike,'' he added.

More than 12,000 contract workers were agitating for the last two weeks, pressing for a nine-point charter of demands, which included hike in wages, regularisation and medical facilities.

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday to resolve the issue, stating that power generation had been affected to an extent of 750 MW daily and the State was hit to a great extent.

Responding to the letter, Union Minister of State for Coal Santosh Bagrodia had convened a meeting of all trade union leaders of NLC in New Delhi on June 13 to resolve the ongoing strike.

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