Nationwide strike to hit essential services

RSS-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh not to join protest

Road transport, banking and perhaps the supply of power, gas and oil are likely to be affected in several cities on Wednesday because of the one-day nationwide strike called by 10 central trade unions (TUs).

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-supported Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh has opted out but several of its smaller affliates, particularly in the transport sector, plan to join the strike.

BMS General Secretary Virjesh Upadhyay on Tuesday accused other prominent TUs like the Congress-supported Indian National Trade Union Congress (Intuc) and those affiliated to the Left parties as playing politics on labour issues. He said the unions should give the government at the Centre time till at least  the winter session of Parliament to deliver on its promises.



BMS said its decision to not take part wasn’t under pressure from the RSS or the government. It recalled that Intuc wasn't part of the joint forum of trade unions until 2009 and that in 2011, the BMS didn't join the strike against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government's policies.

BMS sources said the message to all its affiliates was to withdraw their strike notices but was unlikely to take any disciplinary action against those who associated with the strike because of local compulsions.



The government also appealed to the unions to withdraw the strike. It said talks with them would continue. Labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya said apart from the BMS and National Front of Indian Trade Unions, another two to four unions were neutral. He, however, didn't name these.

BMS leaders claimed several unions in public sector undertakings had decided to withdraw their notices for a strike and favoured giving the government more time on increasing mandatory minimum wages and raising the ceiling on bonus and social security.

"Thus, services like power, oil and gas supply will not be affected. Big public sector units like NTPC, NHPC and Power Grid will not observe a strike. Therefore, power supply will not be affected."

The 12 central TUs claim a combined membership of 150 million workers, in the organised and unorganised sectors.

In Kolkata, the West Bengal government assured trade bodies on compensation and protection for keeping their establishments open. "Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today assured us to remain beside the traders in case we face any problem in keeping our shops open tomorrow. She also assured us police protection and compensation in case of any damage,” Ravindra Nath Koley, member of the task force on agricultural products prices, said at the state secretariat after a meeting the CM chaired.

Banerjee had said earlier that she wanted to finish the bandh and strike culture from Bengal. Hence, she wanted all to oppose the nationwide strike call.

Koley said Banerjee told them she is trying to introduce insurance protection in such events.