Indian Trade Union Congress has demanded immediate constitution of eighth wage board soon for 0.45 million coal employees following the expiry of the seventh wage board period on 30 June 2006. Mr Rajendra Singh president of Indian Mines Workers Federation and general secretary of INTUC said that the constitution of new wage board is an overdue hailing the constitution of new pay commission for Central employees. He also demanded Rs 1,000 immediate interim relief to the central employees.

INTUC also threatened to go for an agitation unless the ministry of coal withdraws its controversial orders of withdrawing employment offer to the family members of the deceased in case of his death in service and the ministry’s declaration of all the seven days in a week as working days.

Mr Singh demanded separate wage board by the private producers stating that coal workers working in private coalmines are not covered under the wage agreements.

INTUC has a strength of 0.217 million members in Coal India Ltd alone.