In an attempt to draw the attention of the Centre towards the problems faced by labourers and voice their discontentment with the new labour and farm laws, a joint committee of ten central trade unions have announced nationwide general strike on November 26.
In addition to the ten major trade unions, employees' organisations in Railways, Insurance and as well as State and Central Government Institutions would take part in the strike. Workers from the unorganised sector, except those involved in essential services would take part in the national strike.
State Secretary of Communist Party of India (CPI), Prakash Viplav said that the union requested owners of private vehicles to keep off the road. except in cases of emergency. “To ensure success of the strike we held several meetings with workers organisations to participate in the strike and we hope that we will get massive support,” he added.
The major demands raised by the unions include withdrawal of farmer and labour bills, depositing of Rs 7,500 in the accounts of all non-tax paying families and 10 kilograms of food grains to families, and expansion of MGNREGA to provide 200 work days per year with increased wages and implementation of the scheme in urban areas also. Besides, they have demanded an end to privatisation in defence, railways, ports, aviation, power, mining and finance sectors, end to forced lay-offs of employees in PSUs and provision of pension for everyone.
Bank Employees Federation, Jharkhand General Secretary, ML Singh informed that almost all bank employees except employees of SBI will participate in the daylong strike on November 26.
Viplav said that they expected the members of the RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh (BMS) to participate in the strike. “Conspiracy to sell public sector industries, disbanding national banks and handing them over to their favourites, ending the life insurance corporation will not be tolerated. The working class of the Country will not tolerate the anti-national action of handing over all the strategic industries, institutions including the national highway, telecom airport, port, at a throwaway price to the foreign capitalists,” he added.
The Unions who are participating in the strike include Central of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India Trade Unions Congress (AITUC), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Hind Majdoor Sabha (HMS), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Coordination Center (TUCC), Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress (UIUC).
