Trade unions go on strike today, may hit essential services

The Central Trade Unions (CTU) have called for a strike across the country on Friday to express their disagreement with the Central government's "unilateral labour reforms and anti-worker policies".

The unions have claimed that this year's strike will be bigger as the number of striking workers is expected to swell to as much as 18 crore, larger than last year when around 14 crore workers participated.

Gurudas Das Gupta, general secretary of All India Trade Union Congress, said, "Most important is control of inflation, particularly the food inflation, social security for the unorganised labour, minimum wage for all unorganised should be Rs 18,000, road is an investment for profit making public sector, low margin of banks etc are the main demand on which we are going on strike."

Essential services such as banking, public transport and telecom will be affected by the strike.

The CTUs will strike protesting what they call the government's apathy towards their 12-point charter of demands, including a monthly minimum wage of Rs 18,000, controlling price rise and assured minimum monthly pension of Rs 3,000.

However, Indian Railways and other central government employees will not participate in the strike as government has already constituted a committee to look into their demand of raising monthly minimum wage from Rs 18,000 to about Rs 26,000 under the 7th Pay Commission.

Resonating similar sentiments, Roman Pandey of Indian National Trade Union Congress told ANI that they are against the handing over of defence and railway industry to the private players.

"We want International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions 87, 98 to be ratified because this gives protection of job security and social security to working people, they have the right to join union of their choice, and they can go for collective bargaining. These global rights are being denied by the government...," he added.

The Bhartiya Majdoor Sangh (BMS) has decided not to participate in strike.

"We gave the notice to the government, but when the government took the step forward then we decided to withdraw from the strike. The effect of strike is not visible, as the entire rail system is working. They have tried a lot to mislead the people but that phase is over, now no one from Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh will be part of this strike," BMS Organising Secretary Pawan Kumar told ANI.

Last year also on September 2, the union has opted out of the strike at the last moment.