New Delhi: A forum of 10 central trade unions launched a nationwide strike on Wednesday, disrupting key services such as banking, postal operations, electricity, mining, and public transport in several parts of the country.
The strike, called as a “general strike,” is also backed by rural and agricultural labour organisations.
The unions claim to have mobilised nearly 25 crore workers across various sectors to protest against the central government’s labour and economic policies, which they argue favour corporate interests over the rights and welfare of workers, farmers, and the poor.
Why are the workers protesting?
At the heart of the strike is strong opposition to the four new labour codes passed by Parliament, which the unions allege will dilute workers’ rights. They argue the codes will extend working hours, weaken protections for forming unions, and make it more difficult to organise or go on strike legally.
Another major concern raised by the unions is the increasing recruitment of retired personnel in government departments instead of creating opportunities for young professionals.
They cited examples from sectors like the Railways, NMDC Ltd, steel, and education.
In a country where 65% of the population is under 35 and youth unemployment is highest among those aged 20 to 25, they argue this trend is particularly damaging.
What are the unions demanding?
The striking unions have submitted a 17-point charter of demands to labour minister Mansukh Mandaviya, though they claim the government has not engaged meaningfully with their concerns. Their core demands include:
- Repeal of the four new labour codes
- An end to contractualisation and privatisation of public sector units
- Creation of more government jobs and regular recruitment
- Raising the national minimum wage to Rs 26,000 per month
- Strengthening rural employment schemes like MGNREGA and introducing similar programmes in urban areas
- Ensuring minimum support price (MSP) for crops as per the Swaminathan Commission formula (C2 + 50%)
- Loan waivers for farmers
Impact across states
All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) general secretary Amarjeet Kaur told PTI that reports of widespread participation have come in from states like West Bengal, Kerala, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar.
She said that services in banking, postal, electricity, copper and coal mining sectors have been affected, while public transport has also been hit in several regions. In addition, farmers’ unions in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan are holding demonstrations in solidarity with the strike.
