Bharat Bandh, a two-day nationwide strike, called by a joint forum of central trade unions to protest against central government policies, starts from today. The All India Bank Employees Association has announced its support for the strike.
Why was the bandh called?
The strike was called to protest against government policies affecting workers, farmers, and people.
The call for the nationwide strike was given by a joint forum of central trade unions, to protest against government policies affecting workers, farmers, and people.
Amarjeet Kaur, All Indian Trade Union Congress General Secretary, said that they are expecting participation of over 20 crore formal and informal workers with mass mobilisation of workers across the country.
The unions are participating to protest against the government’s plan to privatise public sector banks as well as the Banking Laws Amendment Bill 2021.
The unions' demands include the scrapping of the proposed changes in labour laws, privatisation of any form and the national monetisation pipeline. Increased allocation of wages under MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and regularisation of contract workers are also part of their demands.
Who all are supporting the strike?
Workers of roadways, transport and electricity departments have also decided to join the strike in spite of the impending threat of ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) which is likely to be imposed in Haryana and Chandigarh, the joint forum said in a statement.
Trade unions, including INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC are part of the joint forum.
What services will be affected?
Some of the essential services related to banking, transportation, railways and electricity are likely to be impacted during a two-day nationwide strike called by a joint forum of central trade unions beginning Monday.
She said that the strike is expected to hit the rural parts also, where informal workers of farming and other sectors will join the protest.
The strike notices were given by workers' unions of various sectors such as coal, steel, oil, telecom, postal, income tax, copper, banks and insurance.
Unions in railways and defence sector will carry out mass mobilization in support of the strike at several places, the joint forum said.
