Eight trade unions backing call for strike tomorrow

Eight trade unions backing call for strike tomorrow

Government employees and many of those working in the private sector will go on a one-day countrywide general strike on Tuesday under the banner of eight major trade unions including Congress-affiliated INTUC against price rise, violation of labour laws and disinvestment of PSUs.

"Nearly six crore workers will participate in the strike across the country. Those employed in private sector will also join the strike in many places," AITUC general secretary and CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta told a news agency in New Delhi on Monday.

AITUC, CITU, HMS, AIUTUC, TUCC, AICCTU, UTUC and federations of different categories of workers and employees will participate in the general strike, which has been called by Coordination Committee of Central Trade Unions headed by INTUC president G Sanjeeva Reddy, he said.

"This is going to be biggest strike that ever happened in recent years in this country as after 63 years all the trade unions have come together on a common platform," Dasgupta claimed.

All the "branches of economy" will be affected due to strike as workers from sectors including coal, power, telecom, banks, insurance, defence, port and dock, road transport, petroleum and construction will join the call, he said.

Trade unions earlier had drawn up a five-point charter "asking the government to curb the price rise but nothing was done," he charged.

"The trade unions have been agitating against disinvestment of public sector. They (trade unions) are angry because labour laws are being violated," he said.

Trade unions want massive investment for social security for unorganised labourers. "We are also protesting job loss and contractualisation of jobs in the country," he added.

Dasgupta said that the strike will not be the "last thing". If the situation does not improve, workers will march to Parliament in February next year.

"Trade unions can not be marginalised. They must be heard.We want social justice, reasonable share of the wealth workers produce. That's all," he added.

BJP-affiliate Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), however, has kept itself away from the strike call.

"BMS is not participating in the strike as it is politically motivated and not for the welfare of workers," vice president of Delhi unit of the union Kiran Dutta said. (RBY-06/09)

Source: DDI News