5-day coal strike starts

New Delhi, Jan 6: Seven lakh workers belonging to trade unions like BMS, INTUC, AITUC, CITU and HMS on Tuesday began their five-day coal industry strike, believed to be the biggest industrial action for any sector since 1977. The coal workers went on strike in protest against major initiatives like 'disinvestment and restructuring of State-run Coal India’. The strike was also to press for their demands like roll-back of the “process of denationalising of the coal sector”. The strike is likely to affect coal production of up to 1.5 million tonnes a day and disrupt supplies to power plants across several states. Meanwhile, electricity workers union EEFI has also extended its support to the strike call.