On 22 June at Sudamadih shaft mines of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd. (BCCL) in Jharia near Dhanbad a contract worker Uttam Kumar Dubey died by accidental electrocution while performing welding work that had been continuing for last 31 hours. He had been working non-stop since the previous day. At the news of this death the organised workers of this shaft mine blockaded the mine, along with their dead comrade’s body and stopped all production work. The jam continued for ten hours and at 11 in the night talks were held between the workers’ representatives, BCCL management and the Police. The family of the deceased was immediately given 30 thousand rupees for cremation and the blockade was only lifted when there was a agreement between workers and the management to disburse Rs 5 lakh to the family as compensation, a permanent job to one of his dependant and action against the contractor who caused him to work 31 hours.
One highlight of this agitation was the determined presence of all the organised workers for the entire ten hours. CMWU (Coal Mines Workers’ Union) affiliated to AICCTU led this movement, and leaders of other trade unions were also present in the agitation. It is noteworthy that about a month earlier the police had arrested 3 workers at night branding them as thieves. The enraged labourers gheraoed the Police Station and forced the Police Officer to apologise and release the workers.
