Industry body Assocham on Wednesday expressed the fears that the loss to GDP due to the strike by central trade unions could be about Rs 26,000 crore (Rs 260 billion), higher than its initial estimate of Rs 15,000-20,000 crore.
Pilgrims at the ongoing Maha Kumbh mela in Allahabad faced a tough time on Wednesday due to the nationwide strike called by central trade unions which has brought movement of Uttar Pradesh roadways buses to a standstill.
The 48-hour nationwide strike called by central trade unions hit normal life across Kerala on Wednesday with workers from varied sectors, including transport and banking, staying away from work to protest the UPA government's economic and labour policies.
Bank strike continued for day-two on Tuesday, led by nine unions of public sector banks (PSBs) in the country, opposing government's policy to privatise the lenders. Customers will be inconvenienced to get services such as cash withdrawals, deposits, cheque clearances, remittance services. Government transactions related to treasury as well as business transactions will also be impacted. United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), an umbrella body of nine unions, had given a strike call for March 15 and 16.
Describing the two-day nation-wide general strike as the biggest working class action since Independence, Left parties on Thursday warned the government that 'bigger actions' will follow if the demands raised by the workers are not immediately met.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged the Election Commission to ban political parties calling shutdowns, while noting that people of Bengal have rejected the two-day strike called by Central trade unions.
The nation-wide strike call has been given by United Forum of Bank Unions, consisting of nine national level unions, including AIBEA, NCBE, BEFI, INBEF, NOBW and AIBOC.
Although the trade unions have called a two-day strike, they have kept transport out of purview on the second day.
In a stern directive, the Department of Personnel and Training has written to secretaries of all central government ministries not to sanction any kind of leave to employees during the period of the proposed strike.
Central trade unions have questioned Maruti Suzuki's decision to terminate the services of 500 of its permanent workers, alleging not just violation of the Industrial Disputes Act, but also immaturity on the management's part in failing to arrive at a peaceful settlement of the dispute.
Some members of the Trinamool Congress allegedly chopped off the ear of a member of Panchayat at Debipur in Murshidabad district on Thursday. TMC workers allegedly attacked the victim, Hazrat Omar, as he failed to turn up for work on the first day of the nation-wide bandh called by central trade unions.
Supporting the all India strike called by 11 trade unions, Suzuki Motorcycle India Employee Union President Anil Kumar said: "As many as 27 workers unions of different factories in the Gurgaon, Manesar, Dharuhera and up to Bawal have agreed to go on strike for a day. So, there will be no production at our plant tomorrow."
The chief minister told a meeting of the government-instituted Task Force that administrative steps would be taken if shops were closed in the next two days, West Bengal Forum of Traders' Associations General Secretary Rabindranath Kolay said.
The chief minister said action would be taken in case of any attempt to damage shops and establishments by bandh supporters.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on warned against any attempts to forcibly enforce general strike called on February 20 and 21 by central trade unions and said that her government will ensure normal life in the state on the two days.
The meeting between central trade union leaders and senior ministers failed in New Delhi on Monday night with the unions refusing to accept the government's appeal to postpone their two-day call for strike from Wednesday.
Trade unions in various sectors including transport, banking, construction and public sector undertakings will participate in a two-day nation strike on February 20-21 to protest the Centre's inability to tackle issues of inflation, unemployment and labour law violations. The protesting unions will also hold protest rallies at Azad Maidan and in Bandra. Union members have also threatened to hold a public rally till Parliament to press for their demands.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had made an appeal on Tuesday to all the 11 trade unions to withdraw their call for a nation-wide strike from February 20, saying that it would cause loss to the economy and inconvenience to general public.
Central trade unions have opened some successful unions for contract workers in the Ghaziabad industrial belt, breaking the myth that it is difficult to bring them under unions' fold.
The strike by bank employees is part of the one-day all-India general strike, called by major central trade unions.
Under fixed-term employment, workers are entitled to all statutory benefits available to a permanent worker in the same factory. However, employers may not give notice to a fixed-term worker on non-renewal or expiry of his or her contract.
For the first time in the history of the country's trade union movement, all the Central Trade Unions (CTUs) are slated to hold a joint strike countrywide - next year. The demands behind the proposed agitation, on February 28, are better labour laws and their more effective implementation.
Buses kept off the roads and shops were closed in the state.
The central government has asked public sector undertakings to dissuade their employees from participating in the bandh.
On September 7, the trade unions have called a dawn to dusk bandh to protest against rise in price of daily commodities and, once again, fuel price hikes.
In a joint memorandum of central trade unions in the pre-Budget consultation with the finance minister, the unions have also sought that big corporates and multi-nationals should not be allowed to enter retail trade and banking operations.
The government was going in the "wrong direction" and it was "highly condemnable" that it did not discuss the proposed changes with trade unions and other stakeholders, says BMS, trade union arm of the RSS.
Trade unions have threatened to continue with their street protests if the Centre fails to heed their demands following the nationwide strike call on September 7.
The strike, however, had no impact on production of auto majors Maruti Suzuki India, Hero MotoCorp, Honda Cars India, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors and Hyundai Motors India as their plants in various parts of the country functioned normally.
Over 18 crore workers are expected to participate making this a much bigger strike than last year.
The Left unions want concrete action and not just 'assurances'.
The move to disinvest the public sector Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd has united all central trade unions once again and they have called an indefinite agitation from April 19 against the move.
Rejuvenated by the success of the all-India strike on July 5, the Left and the saffron forces are planning another strike.
Most of the buses run by Telangana State Road Transport Organisation are also off the roads
Protests by central labour unions and widespread criticism from Opposition parties because of job losses on account of demonetisation and the GST have put the contentious labour reform proposals in the slow lane.
India's largest central trade union, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, said on Monday it will mobilise workers and public against Special economic zones by launching nation-wide protests from July 16 to 23.
Jet Airways will not operate some of its flights to and from West Bengal and Kerala on Tuesday following a strike call by major central trade unions.
Industry cheers while unions label the move veiled entry of a 'hire & fire' regime.
The unions, including CITU, AITUC and HMS, said they have presented their eight-point charter of demands to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a meeting in New Delhi on Monday. The unions, in a memorandum submitted to Singh, warned that they would oppose the government's "new initiatives" in disinvesting public shares in profit making PSUs through initial public offers.
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