Supreme Court's Directive on Kenduadih Colliery Workers
The Supreme Court last week directed the management of Kenduadih colliery of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL) in Jharkhand to pay Rs. 4 lakh each to 88 skilled workers who had moved an appeal under the banner of Rashtriya Colliery Mazdoor Sangh. They had complained that although they had been working for several years, they were not regularized and faced discrimination.
The dispute was referred to the industrial tribunal in 1993, which found that they were performing a skilled job of a permanent and perennial nature. While workers in other collieries of BCCL were regularized, these workers received "step-motherly" treatment. The tribunal ordered the management to absorb them.
The dispute continued for several years, traveling from the high court to the Supreme Court and back. The Supreme Court noted that over this period, many of them would have become superannuated. Therefore, it put an end to the litigation by ordering the payment.
In a similar case from Dhanbad last month, the court had ordered payment of Rs. 2 lakh each to unskilled colliery workers who had fought a legal battle for 27 years.
The Supreme Court last week directed the management of Kenduadih colliery of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL) in Jharkhand to pay Rs. 4 lakh each to 88 skilled workers who had moved an appeal under the banner of Rashtriya Colliery Mazdoor Sangh. They had complained that although they had been working for several years, they were not regularized and faced discrimination.
The dispute was referred to the industrial tribunal in 1993, which found that they were performing a skilled job of a permanent and perennial nature. While workers in other collieries of BCCL were regularized, these workers received "step-motherly" treatment. The tribunal ordered the management to absorb them.
The dispute continued for several years, traveling from the high court to the Supreme Court and back. The Supreme Court noted that over this period, many of them would have become superannuated. Therefore, it put an end to the litigation by ordering the payment.
In a similar case from Dhanbad last month, the court had ordered payment of Rs. 2 lakh each to unskilled colliery workers who had fought a legal battle for 27 years.