About 10 crore workers belonging to almost a dozen central trade unions will hold a nationwide general strike on February 28 during the budget session of Parliament.
About 10 crore workers belonging to almost a dozen central trade unions will hold a nationwide general strike on February 28 during the budget session of Parliament.
Trade union leaders said a consensus on the strike was arrived at during a meeting at the office of the BJP-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) here on November 24. “Central trade unions are of the opinion that we should take to the streets against the UPA government’s failures on various fronts during or just before the Union Budget is presented next year,” Swadesh Dev Roye, national secretary, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), told DNA on Friday.
While the general budget is usually presented on February 28, the government may table it in the Lok Sabha the following day next year. Congress labour wing, Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) which is the second largest union after the BMS, would also participate in the general strike, likely to be the 14th since economic reforms started in 1991.
According to a member of the CPI-affiliated All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the strike is estimated to attract 10 crore workers from the public sector including the railways, defence, banking, insurance, road transport and energy.
“What is the alternative before workers if the government does not talk to them?” AITUC national secretary GL Dhar said when asked about such a strike’s negative impact on the country’s economy.
The unions’ list of demands include reining in price rise, combating corruption, government aid for the creation of national social security fund for unorganized sector workers, removal of all ceilings on payment and eligibility of bonus, provident fund, increasing the quantum of gratuity and assured pension for all (including the private sector).
The BJP, Left and Congress unions among other parties also want the UPA government to ratify the International Labour Organisation conventions section 87 (freedom of association) and 98 (collective bargaining).
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