Western Coalfields Limited workers against curtailing manpower on rest day

CHANDRAPUR: Miners with Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) are unhappy with the management's move to work with 20% less manpower on Wednesday, a rest day but workers are paid double wages if they are called on duty. Usually, there is 100% attendance of workers in opencast mines on Wednesdays. This move is aimed at cutting financial losses of the company.However, workers' unions are opposing it and instead demanded officers to set example by slashing their own expenses.
WCL area management started adopting this practice three months ago following orders issued by WCL director (personnel) asking the area managements to curtail 20% manpower in mines on Wednesday. "Even after nationalization of the company and nine wage boards, miners and non-executive staffers in WCL are still working as daily wage workers. They are paid for only 26 working days whereas executive officers have four paid holidays in a month. However, to keep the production going on rest days, the company asks workers to come on duty and pays double wages. But the management is now trying to curtail manpower on Wednesday to check losses," said area safety committee member of Wani area and AITUC leader, Khurshid Aslam.
Worker unions are up in arms against this move. Their leaders have decided that no worker will report on duty on Wednesday at mines where the management is trying to cut down manpower. The Naygaon opencast mine remained closed on Wednesday, August 8 as no worker came on duty. Rattled by this, CGM of Wani area, RC Sanodiya, summoned a meeting of area joint coordination committee on Thursday.
"The CGM explained that the 20% manpower cut was being done in accordance with orders from the higher ups. However, as per an agreement with the company management, workers with five attendances in a week will be called on duty on Wednesday and paid double the wages. Besides curtailing production line manpower, the management is also looking at cutting down clerical staff on Wednesdays. We have apposed this move as well," said Wani area president of AITUC, Santosh Mishra, who is also member of area coordination committee. He claimed that the committee's meeting was inconclusive.
Mishra held that if the company is running in losses, what have the executive officers done to curtail them? "Executive officers get Performance Related Payment (PRP), a bonus on achievement of task. If they successfully manage to curtail 20% manpower on Wednesday then they will be rewarded with PRP, while miners will be deprived of a day's wage. Instead, these officers should set an example by curtailing their own expenses," said Mishra.
WCL safety committee member and senior HMS leader of Chandrapur area, Zia-ul-Haq claimed that similar attempts were being made at Chandrapur WCL area. "All unions are together on this issue and have so far foiled any attempts to curtail manpower on Wednesday. The management has held several meetings with the unions but failed to give any convincing explanation. Presently, the management is resting sluggish staffers on Wednesday and curtailing overtime, travelling and daily allowances to limit the losses," added Haq.