UCIL employees strike enters ninth day, talks on to end stir

The indefinite strike by the employees of Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) demanding wage revision entered the ninth day today affecting production even as UCIL management is holding marathon talks with representatives of four striking labour unions.

The Chairman-cum-Managing Director of UCIL, Ramendra Gupta convened a meeting with the labour unions including Jadugora Labour Union (JLU), Uranium Kamgar Union (UKU), Uranium Mazdoor Sangh and Singhbhum Uranium Mazdoor Union for discussion in regard with their demand for wage revision.

The meeting, which began around 11 am today at Jadugora, was still continuing as both the management as well as the labour unions has taken a flexible approach to settle the wage revision issue pending since April,2008.

Admitting that the negotiation was taking place under a cordial atmosphere, D Acharya, Director (Technical) of UCIL, said the negotiation was still on while expressing hope of a positive outcome later in the night.

Rajaram Singh, General Secretary of UKU, refused to comment anything as the talks were still on. About 4300 workers of UCIL's six units including Jadugora Uranium mine, Turamdih, Narwa mine, Bhatin mine, Baghjata mine and Mahuldhi mine continued to abstain from their duties affecting the production.