Partial response was observed in Uttarakhand on the strike call given by different trade unions against the anti labour policies of the Union Government. The inter- State transport facility was badly hit due to the strike but the city buses, taxis and the Vikrams eased things for the intra city commuters as they remained away from the strike. The banking services were badly affected in the state as most of the banks barring the State Bank of India (SBI) remain closed.
The members of the Center of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Student Federation of India (SFI), All India Defence Employees federation (AIDEF) and other employee unions assembled at Parade ground in the morning from where they marched in form of a procession to the Gandhi Park. Here the State President of INTUC, Hira Singh Bisht, Secretary of CITU lekh Raj, Vice President of AITUC Samar Bhandari, AIDEF’s Jagdish Chimmwal, GMVN’s Purushottam Puri and others addressed the meeting.
The speakers blasted the Narendra Modi government for its anti labour policies and warned that the working class would not tolerate these policies. Some of the organizations like Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh (BMS) and officers association of banks backed off from their earlier decision to participate in the strike.
The banking activities in the state were adversely affected by the strike call. It is estimated that trade worth Rs 1500 Crore was affected by the call. The State Convener of United Forum of the Bank Unions, Uttarakhand, Jagmohan Mehidiratta told The Pioneer that 1800 bank branches in the state participated in the strike. There are about 2500 bank branches in the state. Different unions are demanding immediate hiatus to banking reforms and merger of associate banks with SBI. The bank employees are of the view that the government should declare the willful default of bank loan as criminal offence and stop outsourcing of jobs.