Trade union strike has not affected normal life: Minister

The daylong countrywide strike by central trade unions demanding a hike in minimum wages has not affected normal life in any manner, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said here on Wednesday.

"There is no impact on normal life," Pradhan told media persons after a meeting of the union cabinet here.

He said the government has arrived at a formula on hiking minimum wages and would place it before all trade unions across the country soon.

The trade unions spearheading the agitation, however, claimed that the strike was "spontaneous and total".

The All-India Bank Employees Association said financial services were hit on Wednesday as lakhs of bank and insurance employees across the country launched a one-day strike to protest against the "anti-trade union and anti-worker policies" of the central government.

The strike has affected normal life in Karnataka, Bihar, Kerala, West Bengal and several other states, the strike organisers said.

The trade unions have called the strike to press for representation in the labour reform process and bring wages for contractual workers at par with regular workers, apart from hiking the stipulated minimum wages to Rs.15,000.