Banking, insurance, telecom, transport, Defence, mining, postal, and other Central and State Government services could be hit on Tuesday owing to the country-wide strike call by central trade unions.
This is for the first time that trade unions of all hues — the Left, the Congress, the BJP, the Shiv Sena, and the Muslim League — have joined hands to protest against what they call violation of trade union rights, growing contracterisation, disinvestment, privatisation and growing price rise.
“Apart from the 11 central trade unions, 40 federations and about 5,000 other unions will be participating in the action,” said Mr A..K. Padmanabhan, President, Centre for Indian Trade Unions.
Asked why the unions were not heeding to appeals by the Prime Minister and the Labour Minister, Mr Padmanabhan said: “They have still not called us for talks. We were forced to give the strike notice only after repeated attempts to reach out failed. Workers from organised and organised sectors are expected to participate in the “mega” strike.
aditi.n@thehindu.co.in
(This article was published in the Business Line print edition dated February 28, 2012)
