Surda Mines operations halted as workers strike underground

Contract workers demand withdrawal of work suspension notice and regular employment from April 1

Workers in Surda Mines, Jharkhand, have halted operations by striking underground, demanding the withdrawal of a work suspension notice and regular employment from April 1.

JAMSHEDPUR – In Surda Mines of East Singhbhum district, Jharkhand, workers on the morning shift on Friday sat on strike inside the mines, demanding the withdrawal of a work suspension notice imposed by the contract company MMPL and regular employment from April 1.

Approximately 150 to 200 workers in Surda Shaft 3 and Shaft 4 are participating in the strike, sitting on the fifth level inside the mines.

The strike has brought all types of work, including drainage, to a standstill since morning.

Efforts to Resolve the Situation

Surda Mines manager DJ Som arrived at the scene to convince the striking workers.

During a meeting held on March 28 at the company headquarters in Kolkata, the contract company was asked to operate the Surda Mines for the next two months and was assured that mining challan would be provided during this period.

However, the workers have stated that their strike will continue until their demands for removing the notice and running the mines regularly are met.

Impact on Employment and Operations

MMPL, the contract company operating Surda Mines, has put up a notice of “no work, no pay” at around 11:00, declaring the strike inside the mines as illegal.

The notice also emphasizes that the strike is not appropriate from the perspective of worker safety and the safety of the mines.

The work suspension notice issued by MMPL on February 29 is set to affect the employment of 603 contract laborers working in the mines from April 1.

HCL management has expressed that it is inappropriate for workers to sit on strike inside the mines, as they may face problems due to storm and power supply failure, and staying inside mines for more than 8 hours is not good for the body.

Efforts are being made to pacify the striking workers, as protesting inside the mines is a violation of mining rules.