NEW DELHI: The impact of two-day nationwide strike called by Central trade unions against ”anti-people, anti-labour and anti-national policies” of the Union Government remained total on its first day on Tuesday.
According to preliminary reports, the effect of strike could be seen in sectors of banking, insurance, coal, mining, petroleum, postal, telecommunications, engineering, manufacturing, steel, health, defence, education, water, road transport. Several central and state government employees also did not report for work.
The strike has been called by ten major trade unions in protest against the Narendra Modi government’s alleged anti-worker policies and unilateral labour reforms.
The trade unions are demanding minimum wages and social security schemes, among others. According to reports, nearly 20 crore workers of the state and central government are expected to join the nationwide strike which has been called by a consortium of ten central trade unions and has received support from organisations like the AITUC, CITU, HMS, AIUTUC, TUCC, AICCTU, along with employees in the banking and insurance sector. RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh or BMS is not participating in the strike. According to the information received from different sectors, 80 per cent of the work in industrial areas remained stalled. The banking and insurance sector also did not work. Up to 70 per cent of the post office staff did not report for work. Public sector undertakings have also received reports of closure of work.
Strike was witnessed in Delhi, Haryana, Assam, Manipur, Kerala, Odisha, West Bengal, Tripura, Bihar, Karnataka, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu. In Odisha, business establishments were closed and vehicles were off the road while banks and insurance offices were closed due to the bandh.
Train services were also affected as the bandh supporters squatted on the railway tracks at various railway stations.Educational institutions were closed all over Odisha as the state government declared closure of all educational institutions for the day today to avoid any unpleasant situation during the bandh.
Several long distance trains were detained at various stations due to the
squatting of the bandh supporters on the railway tracks since early this morning. The two-day Bharat bandh call given by various trade unions evoked mixed response in Karnataka with most of the commercial establishments being open, almost all industrial units were shut off, state-run bus services operated with a skeletal service with less number of passengers and banks and other government offices operating normal with less staff on Tuesday. However most of the heavy transport vehicles like trucks were halted with drivers parking their vehicles by the side of highways on the outskirts of the city in the morning
Strike also affected work on the ports and airports. Labor organisations have alleged that jobs are being ended due to the economic policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre and unemployment is on the rise.
Apart from this, the labor organisation has been demanding regularisation of all workers, social welfare, minimum wages, government schemes related to Anganwadi, hope and health workers, privatisation of government institutions and reduce inflation. (UNI)
