8 TUs call nationwide strike on Sept 7 against price rise

Eight major trade unions (TU) including Congress-affiliated INTUC today gave a call for a countrywide general strike on September 7 against price rise, violation of labour laws and disinvestment of PSUs.

"All central trade unions have together decided to go on a general strike on September 7 all over India to press the major demands of the working class including rise in prices of the food and essential articles," INTUC President and Congress MP G Sanjeeva Reddy told reporters here.

The other issues include protest against violation of labour laws, disinvestment in profit making public sector, retrenchment, layoff and job losses, he said.

"Our demands also include unorganised sector welfare and regularisation of contractual workers," he said

AITUC, CITU, HMS, AIUTUC, TUCC, AICCTU, UTUC and federations of different categories of workers and employees "having united for the first time in the history of India" will participate in the general strike, he said in presence of the senior leaders of these unions including AITUC General Secretary Gurudas Dasgupta.

Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), has not officially joined the strike call. "It has not opposed the general strike anywhere. They said date of strike was not suitable to them," he claimed.

"Nearly 6 crore workers from coal, power, banks, insurance, telecommunication, insurance, port and dock, road transport, petroleum, defence and construction sectors will join the strike," Reddy said.

He also claimed that Railway workers are in support of the call but will not join the strike. "We have excluded Railways from the one-day strike as passengers will be unnecessarily harassed," he said.

He said Central Trade Unions have been forced to give the strike call as government did not take any step to curb price rise, particularly food inflation.

"Strike is not against anybody but to open the eyes of the government. We met Prime Minister thrice with our demands but we could not come to an understanding on major issues. We are fed up with the situation," Reddy said.

He alleged that formation of new trade unions are not being allowed and leaders are victimised.