Sesa Goa employees protest 24x7 mining operations

Panaji, May 4 (IANS) Employees of Goa's biggest mining company, the Vedanta Resources-owned Sesa Goa Limited (SGL) took to the streets Friday protesting the company's move to keep ore extraction operations running 24 hours a day, on all days of the week.

Leading the protests in Panaji, Christopher Fonseca, General Secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), which is spearheading the agitation said that the workforce was demanding a five-day week work schedule instead of the "24x7" pattern.

"All mining activity should be closed for two days a week and should run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. We will not budge from this position," Fonseca told reporters. He further said that the Sesa Goa management was also dilly-dallying over a wage settlement which was in negotiation mode for nearly two years.

According to a formal statement issued by Sesa Goa, the company has said that the scenario of working of mines 24x7 was being discussed with the mining company's workers.

"In these discussions, the company had stated commencement of continuous operations (24x7), as practised in its larger mining operations units in Goa," said R. Krishnagopal, associate vice president, Corporate Communication, Sesa Goa Limited.

The statement further said that "periodic wage settlement negotiations are underway with the company's workmen at its Bicholim unit, represented by their trade union" and that the issue was pending with authorities for conciliation as is commonplace during negotiations.