Nation-wide Trade Union Strike: Protesters vandalise NBSTC bus in West Bengal

On 2 September, 10 Central Trade Unions (CTUs) are holding a one-day nationwide strike against the government's "indifference" towards their demands and effecting "anti-worker" changes in labour laws.

According to media reports, the common man is facing the consequences of the strike.

According to ANI, protesters vandalised an NBSTC bus in Cooch Behar district, West Bengal. More details of the incidents are awaited.

In Kerala, passengers were stranded at an inter state bus stand in Thiruvananthapuram following the strike.

The unions have claimed that this year's strike will be bigger than last year's as the number of striking workers is expected to swell to as much as 18 crore. Last year around 14 crore workers participated in the strike.

The CTUs will strike work protesting what they call the government's apathy towards their 12-point charter of demands, including a monthly minimum wage of Rs 18,000, controlling price rise and assured minimum monthly pension of Rs 3,000.

"This time, the strike will be bigger than last year as over 18 crore workers from formal and informal sectors would come on streets to protest against government's indifference to their 12-points charter of demands and unilateral anti-worker labour law amendments," Trade Union Coordination Committee (TUCC) General Secretary SP Tiwari said yesterday.

He added, "Besides ports and civil aviation, the essential services like transport, telecom and banking will be paralysed. The workers will go on strike in hospitals and power plants, but the protest will not affect their normal functioning."

He said workers in central public sector undertakings like Coal India, GAIL, ONGC, NTPC, OIL, HAL and BHEL will observe the strike on 2 September.

However, Indian Railways and other central government employees will not participate in the strike as the government has already constituted a committee to look into their demand of raising monthly minimum wage from Rs 18,000 to about Rs 26,000 under the 7th Pay Commission.

-With agencies inputs