new Delhi: The two-day nationwide strike called by 10 central trade unions against the Centre’s policies received a lukewarm response in most parts of the country, even as banking and public transport services were battered in states like West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
However, essential services such as healthcare, electricity and fuel supply remained unaffected, news agency PTI reported. Government offices and educational institutions were also not affected by the strike.
The demands of trade unions include: Abolition of labor codes, no privatization in any form, dismantling of National Monetization Pipeline (NMP), increase in allocation of wages under MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act) and regularization of contract workers.
Here are the top 10 developments of the nationwide strike:
- In cities with a strong trade union movement, there were very limited over-the-counter public deals such as cash deposits and withdrawals.
- The unions, quoted by PTI, claimed that coal mining sectors in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh have also been affected by workers’ protests. All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) general secretary Amarjit Kaur was quoted as saying by PTI, “The entire coal sector (mining area) in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh has been affected.”
- Some disruption to normal life was experienced in West Bengal as protesters took to the streets, blocking train movement at some stations.
- The impact of the protest was seen in eastern India as many branches of public sector banks remained closed in the past.
- In Kerala, state road transport buses as well as auto-rickshaws and private buses remained off the roads. But essential services, including milk supply, hospital and ambulance services, remained unaffected.
- Public transport services were also affected in Haryana as employees of state roadways joined the strike.
- Production in steel plants and mines in public sector units like SAIL, RINL and NMDC were also affected as many of their workers joined the strike.
- Banking services were partially affected due to a nationwide strike on Monday as a large section of bank employees did not attend duty.
- In Maharashtra, quantity data from clearing houses and cash replenishment in automated teller machines (ATMs) was not immediately available, although striking workers claimed they had a profound effect.
- However, the strike had hardly any impact on the functioning of the new generation of private sector banks.