Bharat Bandh: Nationwide trade union strike to hit banking, public transport today

New Delhi: As many as 18 crore workers affiliated with the 10 central trade unions (CTUs) will go on one-day nationwide strike on Friday to pressurise the government over their demands.

Essential services such as banking, public transport and telecom are expected to be worst hit during the 'Bharath Bandh'.

The CTUs have accused the government of apathy towards their 12-point charter of demands including a monthly minimum wage of Rs 18,000, controlling price rise and assured minimum monthly pension of Rs 3,000.

"This time strike will be bigger than last year as over 18 crore workers from formal and informal sectors would come on streets to protest against government's indifference to their 12-points charter of demands and unilateral anti-worker labour law amendments," Trade Union Coordination Committee (TUCC) General Secretary S P Tiwari said.

Workers in central public sector undertakings like Coal India, GAIL, ONGC, NTPC, OIL, HAL and BHEL will observe the strike today. The workers will go on strike in hospitals and power plants but the protest is expected not to affect their normal functioning.

However, Indian Railways and other central government employees will not participate in strike as government has already constituted a committee to look into their demand of raising monthly minimum wage from Rs 18,000 to about Rs 26,000 under the 7th Pay Commission.  

With agency inputs