Image Courtesy:economictimes.indiatimes.com
Preparations are in full swing for the two-day All India General Strike slated to begin on March 28, 2022. On March 22, the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions (CTU) held a meeting in Delhi to take stock of the preparations in various states and sectors.
Workers will gather to protest the anti-worker, anti-farmer, anti-people and anti-national policies of the central government. For this, invested unions have started to prepare a week early with sector-wise conventions in public sector undertakings as well as private sector and the unorganised sectors such as scheme workers, domestic workers, hawkers, beedi workers, construction workers, etc.
Others like Haryana’s roadways transport workers and Chandigarh’s electricity workers will also join “inspite of the impending threat of the Essential Services Maintenance Act.” Further, the financial sector including Banking and Insurance will also demonstrate with other unions.
“The strike notices given by unions in the sectors such as coal, steel, oil, telecom, postal, income tax, copper, banks, insurance among others. The Unions in Railways and Defence sector would be making mass mobilization in support of strikes at several hundreds of spots,” said CTU in a joint statement.
Meanwhile, leaders attending the meeting were emboldened by the results of the recently held state elections. Moreover, they welcomed the reiteration by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) of farmers observing a rural bandh on the days of the general strike.
Unions condemned the BJP-led central government for reducing the interest rate on PF accumulations from 8.5 percent to 8.1 percent, the sudden hike in Petrol, LPG, Kerosene, CNG etc. They also condemned the government’s attempt to implement their programme of Monetization (PSU Land bundles).
“[The government is] held back only because of the worsening condition of inflation and crashing share markets,” said CTUs. Members resolved to hold more virtual meetings to decry the anti-labour policies and the four labour codes.
“The Platform of CTUS and Sectoral Federations and Associations calls upon all sections of society to extend their support to the strike called under the slogan ‘Save People, Save Nation’,” said CTU.
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