Banking, other services may be hit with trade unions on strike on Wednesday

On July 9, ten central trade unions will go on strike to protest against the government's failure to conduct the Indian Labour Conference for ten years and the imposition of four controversial labour

Banking, postal, and other services are likely to face disruption on Wednesday as more than 2.5 million workers affiliated with central and sectoral trade unions have announced to go on strike across the country to protest against new labour codes and privatisation, and press for demands such as minimum wage of ₹26,000 and old pension scheme, according to union leaders. 

Ten of the country’s 12 central trade unions have called the strike. They also alleged the Centre was taking decisions against the interests of the labour force, including “attempts to impose” four labour codes with the objective to weaken collective bargaining.

The 10 unions have said that an estimated 300 to 400 million workers are expected to join the strike, and support the 17-point charter of demands of the strike. The 10 trade unions, including the Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha and Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), have said their preparations for the strike, likely to be one of the biggest in recent years, are on course. However, the government holds that it is ready to talk on all provisions, if unions provide some ‘constructive feedback’. 

“If we talk about labour codes, a majority of states have already made amendments in their laws, which align them with the spirit of the Centre’s codes. It’s not that the amendments in labour laws are limited only to the National Democratic Alliance-led governed states. Many Opposition-ruled states have also gone ahead and made these changes. This indicates that these states also value the importance of investments, especially in the manufacturing sector,” sources said. 

In a statement, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), which is the largest trade union in the country, said it is not taking part in the strike. 

The BMS alleged that the strike was politically inspired. Of the four labour codes, the BMS said it had welcomed two, namely the Code on Wages, 2019, and Code on Social Security, 2020. It noted that the Code on social security had for the first time provided for the social security of platform and gig workers. However, the BMS said it had consulted with stakeholders and suggested amendments to the other two labour codes, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, and submitted its suggestions to the government. 

In a joint statement, the trade unions said the government’s economic policies were resulting in more unemployment, rising prices of essential commodities, cut in social sector spending in education, health and basic civic amenities, which is contributing to increasing disparity. 

Trade unions had earlier observed similar nationwide strikes in November 2020, March 2022 and on February 16 last year.