Details

SHORT NOTES ON JBCCI

Short Notes On Joint Bipartite Committee for Coal Industry (JBCCI)

1. Formation & Role of Government

• Established by Coal India Limited (CIL) with Government of India's approval.
• Functions as per Department of Public Enterprises guidelines.
• Represents management and five Central Trade Unions operating in the coal industry.

2. Objectives & Functions

• Negotiates and determines wages, salaries, fringe benefits, and other service conditions for non-executive cadre employees.
• Initially established in 1973 as the Joint Bipartite Wage Negotiations Committee, later renamed JBCCI.
• Each JBCCI exists until the next committee is constituted.
• Ensures fair and transparent wage settlements while maintaining industrial peace and harmony.

3. Legal Framework

• Before coal nationalization, wages were governed by the Central Wage Board for Coal Mining Industry (1967).
• The Industrial Disputes Act provides the legal mechanism for resolving wage-related disputes.
• Wage agreements are formalized under the National Coal Wage Agreement (NCWA).
• JBCCI acts as a bridge between labor unions and coal management, preventing the need for external arbitration or legal battles.

4. Evolution of National Coal Wage Agreements (NCWA)

5. JBCCI Representation & Membership

• The Ministry of Coal authorizes CIL to constitute JBCCI in consultation with participating trade unions.
• Five Central Trade Unions and coal management representatives are included.
• Some labor unions (NFITU, AICCTU) objected to JBCCI formation, demanding representation but were denied due to insufficient presence in CIL.
• Apart from wage negotiations, JBCCI also discusses employment-related grievances, workforce regularization, and worker safety improvements.

6. Dispute Resolution Mechanism

• A Standardization Committee discusses wage-related disputes under NCWA.
• Issues agreed upon are binding on management and employees.
• Once an agreement is signed, instructions for implementation are issued.
• This mechanism reduces the likelihood of labor strikes and ensures smooth operations in the coal industry.

7. Latest JBCCI Meeting - JBCCI-XI (2021-2026)

• As NCWA-X ended on 30th June 2021, the 11th JBCCI (JBCCI-XI) was constituted on 06.05.2021.
• Responsible for negotiating NCWA-XI for CIL & SCCL non-executive employees.
• Composition of JBCCI-XI:
• Representing Management of CIL & SCCL:
• CIL & subsidiaries - 12 members
• Singareni Collieries Co. Ltd. - 2 members
• Representing Central Trade Unions & INMF:
• BMS - 4 members
• HMS - 4 members
• AITUC - 3 members
• CITU - 3 members
• INMF (affiliated to INTUC) - 4 members
• The Hon'ble Calcutta High Court (judgment dated 10.02.2023) allocated the slot intended for INTUC to INMF.
• Ten meetings of JBCCI-XI were held to deliberate on wage structure, fitment benefits, service conditions, welfare, safety, social security (pension, post-retirement benefits), and other related matters.