Singareni trade unions seek fresh elections as two-year tenure ends

Trade unions at Singareni Collieries have urged management to conduct fresh elections after the two-year tenure of recognised and representative unions ended. TBGKS has also approached the High Court, while unions seek equal status until new elections are held.

Kothagudem: With the tenure of recognized trade union expired at Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), the trade unions want the company management to conduct elections forthwith.

It might be recalled that Singareni Collieries Workers Union, the coal mines union of All India Trade union Congress (AITUC), affiliated to CPI won the elections to become the recognized union while Singareni Coal Mines Labor union of Indian National Trade union Congress (INTUC), affiliated to the Congress party got elected as representative union.

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The elections were held on December 27, 2023 and the results were declared on the same day. But the documents confirming recognition and representative status for a period of two years were handed over to the elected unions on September 9, 2024, due to internal issues.

If the date of election was taken into account the more than two years have already elapsed since the elections were held. Even when calculating the tenure from the date of receiving the recognition status, the two-year period expired on September 8, 2026.

Speaking to Telangana Today, Telangana Boggu Ghani Karmika Sangham (TBGKS) state general secretary Kapu Krishna informed that a petition filed by the sangham in the High Court regarding the conduct of elections came up for hearing on September 8 and was posted for next hearing on September 22.

The elections have been held seven times previously at SCCL and prior to past elections, the deputy chief labor commissioner (DYCLC) (Central) had stated that elections were being conducted with two-year tenure.

In view of the above the concerned officials should take appropriate measures to conduct fresh trade union elections as soon as possible, in the interest of maintaining a democratic and transparent representation system in the Singareni, Krishna noted.

Meanwhile, the TBGKS state president Miryala Raji Reddy also submitted representations to the (DYCLC) (Central) as well as the SCCL’s chairman and managing director (CMD) and the Director (Personnel administration and welfare) requesting the conduct of elections at Singareni.

The TBGKS and Singareni Coal Mines Karmak Sangh affiliated to Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) wanted the authorities to extend equal status to all trade unions operating in Singareni until the fresh elections are conducted to ensure fair and equal representation opportunities for the workers.