Nationwide strike against labour codes disrupts coal operations in Dhanbad

Dhanbad: Coal production at the mines of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) and Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) were adversely affected on Thursday as workers joined the nationwide strike to protest the new labour codes being brought in by the Centre. Besides coal mining, various other industries were also affected.Under the banner of a joint forum, leaders and members of various labour unions assembled at Randhir Verma Chowk. Raising slogans, protesters termed the codes “anti-worker” and demanded their immediate withdrawal.Industry insiders said Thursday’s strike led to a dip in 40% in average daily production of the companies.Workers abstained from duties at several key BCCL sites, including the Vishwakarma Loading Point at Dhanasar, Block-2 area, Hajiri Ghars, and Shatabdi Colliery. Dharna and demonstrations were held outside attendance centres, halting production and coal dispatch activities. Coal transportation was also severely affected, disrupting supply chains and causing financial setbacks to the companies.BSSR union president Sandeep Aich said the strike was not limited to the coal sector but saw participation from employees in banking, healthcare, anganwadi, and insurance sectors. He asserted that the four Labour Codes would not be allowed to be implemented under any circumstances and warned of intensifying the agitation at the national level, including a possible march to Delhi.Jharkhand Colliery Mazdoor Union area vice president Kishore Murmu said, “The new codes would increase exploitation of workers and push their conditions back to pre-1975 levels.” Leaders from AITUC, INTUC, Janata Mazdoor Sangh, and Bihar Colliery Kamgar Union accused the Centre of promoting privatisation and weakening labour rights.