Trade unions call for nationwide strike on Jan 8

A front of national trade unions on Thursday called for a countrywide strike on January 8 in protest against "anti-labour" and "anti-industry" policies of the BJP-led central government, a trade union leader said.

A K Jha, general secretary of the Rashtriya Colliery Mazdoor Sangh (RCMS), a constituent unit of the INTUC, said the decision was taken at a meeting of recognised central trade unions here.

Representatives of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Congress Trade Union Cong (IATUC), Central Industrial Trade Union (CITU) and Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) took part in the meeting, he said.

"The central government is reducing the basic rights and facilities of workers and privatising public sector units for the capitalists. Trade unions are left no other option but to call for a strike," Jha said.

Over four lakh miners working in different coal mines across Jharkhand would take part in the strike," he said.

Jha said labour laws were being bent in favour of industrialists and demands of workers were being ignored.

Another meeting of the trade union leaders has been scheduled on December 30 for making the nationwide strike a success, he added.