ESSENTIAL SERVICES MAY BE HIT AS UNIONS GO ON STRIKE TODAY

Essential services like banking and public transport, as also work at public sector entities, may be hit on Friday with ten central trade unions giving a one-day nationwide strike call to protest against the government’s “indifference” to their demands for better wages and facilities and the “anti-worker” changes in labour laws. All major unions, excluding RSSassociated BMS (Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh), have joined the strike call, terming the government’s assurances to look into their demands and the recent announcements for two-year bonus and hike in minimum wage as “completely inadequate”.

Government transport in Haryana, Karnataka and Telangana, industrial areas in the NCR, hotels in Himachal Pradesh and banks and insurance offices across India may not function on Friday as central trade unions will hit the streets for a general strike.

Last year, the trade union’s strike had seen an around 15 crore workers observing an holiday. “This year we expect the figures to be higher,” said CITU general secretary Tapan Sen.

The trade unions are confident that in the National Capital region, the public sector banks and insurance companies will be paralysed. “The officers’ unions of banks have pledged their support,” said Sen.

While petrol pumps will remain open, the government’s bus services in Harayans and Punjab will be crippled, claim trade union leaders. They are also confident that public bus in Karnataka and Telangana will also come to a standstill affecting millions of commuters in cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

While the trade unions will get a free run in communistruled Kerala, it is likely to face stiff resistance in West Bengal where Mamata Banerjee has vowed to stall the strike and celebrate ‘Singur Diwas’ to honour Wednesday’s Supreme Court verdict.