Two-Day Nationwide Strike By Trade Unions

FILE PHOTO: People hold placards as they attend a protest organised by various trade unions against labour law changes and the disinvestment and privatisation of public sector enterprises, in New Delhi on September 23, 2020

A joint forum of central trade unions has given a call for a nationwide strike on March 28 and 29, to protest against government policies affecting workers, farmers and common people.

The Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions held a meeting in Delhi on March 22, 2022, to take stock of the preparations in various states and sectors for the proposed two-day all-India strike on March 28-29, 2022 against “the anti-worker, anti-farmer, anti-people and anti-national policies” of the central government, a statement said.

The statement said that roadways, transport workers and electricity workers have decided to join the strike in spite of the impending threat of ESMA (Haryana and Chandigarh, respectively).

Financial sectors, including banking and insurance, are joining the strike, it stated.

The strike notices have been given by unions in sectors such as coal, steel, oil, telecom, post, income tax, copper, banks, insurance among others, it also stated.

The unions in railways and defence sector would be aiming for mass mobilization in support of the strike at several hundreds of spots, it stated.

The meeting took note of the fact that emboldened by the results of the recently-held state elections, the BJP government at the Centre has intensified attacks on working people, reducing the interest rate on EPF accumulations to 8.1 per cent from 8.5 per cent, sudden hike in petrol, LPG, kerosene, CNG etc., taking steps to implement their program of monetization (PSU land bundles) but are held back only because of the worsening condition of inflation and crashing share markets.

The meeting condemned these policies, it stated.

The meeting welcomed the reiteration by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha that they will observe Rural Bandh on March 28-29.