Workers' unions of Coal India, who have threatened to go on strike, are likely to meet the Maharatna firm's management early next month to deliberate on issues like pension scheme for coal workers.
"The workers' unions are likely to hold a meeting with CIL Director Personnel and Industrial Relations either on March 3 or 4," Indian National Mineworkers Federation Secretary General S Q Zama told PTI.
"The trade unions will deliberate on various issues, including review of pension scheme," Zama said, adding that the the scheme has not been reviewed since its inception in 1995.
Government had earlier sought the unions' cooperation in combating the "difficult situation" the sector is passing through due to fall in global commodity prices.
"Coal Minister (Piyush Goyal) invited cooperation and support from 5 CTUs/coal workers to combat difficult situation the coal industry is passing through," Indian National Mineworkers' Federation (INTUC) had earlier said.
The coal industry has been hit "due to deep recession globally and also internally in India... The stock of coal in power houses of states/NTPC and also in CIL/subsidiaries is piling up," it had added.
The Central Trade Unions (CTUs), which held a meeting with Goyal this week, assured the government of full cooperation in combating the adverse situation.
"However, in order to have positive result, the representatives of five CTUs submitted few suggestions, like increasing the frequency of consultation with one of the most important stakeholders, that is coal workers/CTUs, particularly in policy related issues like disinvestment, re-structuring, coal pricing mechanism...And welfare related issues," it had said.
