NEW DELHI: A nationwide general strike called by 10 central trade unions is set to take place on Wednesday, with over 25 crore workers from sectors including banking, insurance, postal, coal mining, highway, and construction expected to participate. The unions are protesting against what they term as “anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national pro-corporate policies of the government,” potentially causing widespread service disruptions across India.The joint forum of trade unions has undertaken extensive preparations to ensure widespread participation across both formal and informal sectors of the economy.“More than 25 crore workers are expected to take part in the strike. Farmers and rural workers will also join the protest across the country,” said Amarjeet Kaur from All India Trade Union Congress.Harbhajan Singh Sidhu from Hind Mazdoor Sabha indicated that essential services including banking, postal, coal mining, factories, and state transport would be affected by the strike.The unions had previously submitted a 17-point demand charter to Labour Minister Mansukh Mandavia. They criticize the government’s decade-long failure to conduct annual labour conferences and its decisions that allegedly undermine workers’ interests.The forum argues that current economic policies are leading to increased unemployment, rising essential commodity prices, wage depression, and reduced social sector spending, affecting poor and middle-class citizens.“We are demanding from the government to address unemployment, recruitments against sanctioned posts, creation of more jobs, increase in days and remuneration of MGNREGA workers and enactment of similar legislation for urban areas. But the government is busy imposing ELI (Employment Linked Incentive) scheme to incentives employers’ instead,” the forum stated.The unions express concern over the four labour codes passed by Parliament, which they claim will suppress trade union movements, increase working hours, and remove workers’ rights to collective bargaining and strikes.They criticize the government’s practice of recruiting retired personnel instead of providing regular appointments to youth, particularly in Railways, NMDC Ltd, steel sector, and teaching positions.The forum alleges the government has abandoned its welfare state status and is prioritizing corporate interests through its policies.Workers from NMDC Ltd, non-coal minerals, steel, state government departments, and public sector enterprises have issued strike notices.The Samyukta Kisan Morcha and agricultural workers unions have pledged support and plan to mobilize participants in rural areas.Trade unions have previously organized similar nationwide strikes on November 26, 2020, March 28-29, 2022, and February 16 last year.The unions continue their opposition to privatization of public sector enterprises, outsourcing, and casualization of the workforce.The strike comes at a time when 65 percent of India’s population is under 35 years, with maximum unemployment among those aged 20 to 25 years.
