Trade unions go on nationwide strike against Centre’s “anti-people” policies

Members of 10 central trade unions have gone a one-day nationwide strike on Wednesday against government policies, a trade body representative said.

Members of 10 central trade unions which include AITUC, INTUC, CITU, AICCTU, CUCC, SEWA, LPF, along with various sectoral independent federations are participating in the nationwide strike, Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary, AITUC said.

“We are protesting against rising prices, sale of the public sector (firms), 100 per cent FDI in railways, defence, coal, pharma, animal husbandry, security services, and codification of 44 (central labour) laws,” she told PTI. Nearly 25 crore people are said to be taking part in this all-India strike.

Banking services were affected on Wednesday due to the nationwide strike in Mumbai. – Photo: Paul Noronha

 The demands also include a minimum pension of Rs 6,000 for everyone, minimum support price (MSP) for farmers, adequate supply of ration to people, she said, adding that the demands concern common man’s issues besides worker-centric issues.

In Delhi, she said, rains could not impact on the movement as workers’ processions will be taken out in industrial areas of the state; and as planned, workers will assemble at the ITO and take out procession.

“We are getting reports from all over India. BHEL workers have gone on strike, oil unions are on strike. There is situation of bandh in states of north-east, Odisha, Pondicherry, Kerala and Maharashtra. Roadways depots are closed in Haryana,” she said.

Farmers join in Punjab and Haryana

Several outfits of public sector banks, roadways, post office and farmers in Punjab and Haryana joined the one-day nationwide strike  Employees of public sector banks joined the strike, impacting banking services in the region.

 Representatives of trade unions and roadways unions held protests at several places, including Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Bathinda in Punjab and raised slogans against the government in support of their demands.

Little impact on normal life in Tamil Nadu

The countrywide strike called by labour unions pressing for various demands on Wednesday has not disrupted normal life in Tamil Nadu so far, although banking services have been partially hit.

 Bus services and road transport were not affected, police said.  Southern Railway sources said train services, including the suburban network here, were not impacted due to the stir.  While shops and commercial establishments remained open, banking services were partially affected.

  According to bank unions, some public and private sector bank employees participated in the dawn-to-dusk strike.

Tepid impact in Karnataka 

The nationwide strike had no effect on normal life in the city and other parts of Karnataka, with most of the vehicles including government buses plying on Wednesday.

The bus services are normal at the Kempegowda Bus Stand during the nationwide strike in Bengaluru on Wednesday. – Photo: G R N Somashekar

 While government buses including the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) were plying as usual, train services remained unaffected.

 Schools, colleges and business establishments also functioned.   Bharat Bandh: Banking services hit in Telangana 

Banking services hit in Telangana 

Barring banking services being hit, it was business as usual in Telangana on Wednesday despite the nationwide strike called by various trade unions protesting the Centre’s ‘anti-people’ policies. Most of the shops and business establishments were open while transport services remained unaffected.

The strike by as many as three lakh employees and workers passed off peacefully with the participation of members of various trade unions in the state, senior leader of Telangana CPI, Sudhakar said.

Representatives of various unions held dharna at Dharna Chowk near Indira Park.

Operations in all public sector banks except SBI were affected.

“All public sector banks employees are participating in the strike. There are no counter operations such as cash deposits or withdrawals at banks. Even though officers are participating in the strike, they extended cooperation,” All India Bank Employees Association National Secretary B S Rambabu said.

A senior official of SBI said the stir did not affect the bank’s operations as its officers and award staff associations decided to stay away from the bandh.

The State-owned Singareni Collieries Company said though some of its employees were on strike, there wont be much impact on coal production.

Train services were not disrupted by the strike.

A senior official of state-owned NMDC Ltd said union members held “gate meeting” in the morning.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Employees Association and RBI Workers Union struck work demanding autonomy for the apex bank and strengthening of its functions. They held a dharna in front of the bank here.

Telangana CPI said “gate meetings” and dharnas were held across the State before Central Government offices, public and private companies as part of the Bharat Bandh.

  Cong, Left leaders taken into custody in AP 

Leaders of the Congress, CPI and CPM were taken into custody as they staged a sit-in protest on the highway outside the RTC bus station in Vijayawada on Wednesday as part of the nationwide general strike called by various organisations.

 Reports said employees stayed off duties in various public sector undertakings, mostly in Visakhapatnam.  Most of the banks remained shut.

Strike total in Left-ruled Kerala 

The strike was total in Left-ruled Kerala on Wednesday, with vehicles, including state-owned KSRTC and private buses keeping off the roads.

 As Sabarimala pilgrims have been exempted from the strike, KSRTC buses are taking Ayyappa devotees to Pamba.

 With trade unions of the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and opposition Congress-headed UDF participating in the strike, most of the staff did not turn up at the Secretariat.

  Railway sources said train services were unaffected. However, passengers who reached the railway station here this morning had a tough time getting vehicles.

  Mixed response in Rajasthan 

The nationwide strike call evoked a mixed response in Rajasthan.  Banking and roadways services were partially affected as members of trade unions joined the strike.

 A demonstration was held in front of the LIC Building in Jaipur.

 Rajasthan roadways employees affiliated with CITU also participated in the ‘Bharat bandh’.   However, most of the markets opened as usual and there was not much impact on public transport services.

Trains, bus services unaffected in Mumbai

Transport services in the country’s financial capital have remained unaffected on Wednesday. Suburban trains, which are called as the “lifeline of Mumbai” with a ridership of more than 75 lakh commuters per day, public buses, taxis and autorickshaws are running normally in the island city and suburbs.

A union leader said taxis and autorickshaws are plying as usual and there are no reports of any untoward incident due to the strike.

Lukewarm response in UP

The nationwide strike called by trade unions on Wednesday evoked a lukewarm response in Lucknow as life was normal during morning hours.

Usual traffic was seen on the main thoroughfares of the state capital and shops and business establishments opened at their usual time.

Most of the schools, colleges and other educational institutions as well as offices reported normal attendance.

Trade union members are seen protesting in New Delhi on Wednesday, January 8, 2020 - Photo: Jigeesh AM