New Delhi: India may grind to a halt for the
next 24 hours as a nationwide strike by trade unions and government employees
has been planned for Tuesday. In all, 11 trade unions across party lines along
with 8lakh public sector employees with the exception of those in the Railways
are expected to participate. Banking, transport and government services are
likely to be hit across the country including major cities like Delhi, Mumbai and
Kolkata.
Unions leaders who have rejected appeals to desist from the
strike said all 11 major trade unions including Congress-affiliated INTUC, Shiv
Sena-backed Bharatiya Kamgar Sena and UPA ally Indian Union Muslim League's
trade-wing STU would join hands to make the strike a success.
The main grudges of the unions on strike include rising
prices, disinvestment of profit-making PSUs and the violation of labour laws.
"This a historic occasion as for the first time all the
major trade unions irrespective of political affiliations are coming together
to protest anti-labour polices of the government," AITUC general secretary
Gurudas Dasgupta said.
About 5,000 small unions have also decided to support the
strike call, the union leaders said.
The government had last week appealed the trade unions to
desist from going on strike with Labour Minister Mallikarjun Kharge saying they
were ready to discuss any kind of labour-related issues.
Rejecting the appeal, Dasgupta said "We are not ready
to consider such a ritualistic statement on the part of the government."
He said the government had enough opportunity earlier to sit with the trade
unions to discuss the issues.
The unions are demanding no contract out of work - permanent
or perennial nature, amendment of Minimum Wages Act, assured pension for all
and compulsory registration of trade union among others.
In view of the nationwide strike called by a number of trade
unions, the Delhi
government clamped the Essential Services Maintenance Act on all power
companies in the city to ensure that there is no disruption in electricity supply
in the national Capital.
In West Bengal, Chief
Minister Mamata Banerjee has instructed her ministers to ensure that no Govt
employees take part in the bandh which she says is Left sponsored. She's warned
of consequences if her orders are violated.
"Delhi
government has clamped ESMA on all power companies including generation,
distribution and other power companies in view of the proposed strike," a
statement issued by the Chief Minister's office said.
As a result of the strike banks, telephone and transport
services are likely to take a hit. A near complete paralysis is expected in Assam, Kerala, Haryana, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Bihar.
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