Public sector banks, transport, Government offices in Opposition-ruled States and other services across the country are likely to be hit as several mainstream trade unions have called a nationwide strike on Wednesday. The Government has warned of stern action against strikers.
Ten Central trade unions — INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC — along with various independent federations, associations and Left-wing Government employees’ unions had adopted a declaration in September last to go on a nationwide strike on January 8, 2020 against “anti-people” polices of the Government.
Sangh Parivar-supported BMS is not participating in the strike led by Left and Congress supported-trade unions. In a stern warning, the Ministry of Personnel said, “Any employee going on strike in any form would face the consequences which, besides deduction of wages, may also include appropriate disciplinary action.”
Several PSU banks have informed stock exchanges about the strike and its impact on banking services.
Various bank employee associations, including CPI and CPI(M)-supported AIBEA, All India Bank Officers’ Association (AIBOA), BEFI, and Congress-supported INBEF and INBOC and Bank Karmachari Sena Mahasangh (BKSM), have expressed their willingness to participate in the strike.
Banking services like deposit and withdrawal, cheque clearing and instrument issuance are expected to be impacted due to the strike. Bank managements have clarified that the internet-based and ATM operations will not be affected by the strike. However, services at private sector banks are unlikely to be impacted.
Other than banking, insurance, transport and other key services are also likely to be disrupted in many States due to this nationwide strike call. In Left parties dominated Kerala, the strike is expected to be total and normal life will be paralysed. In West Bengal, trade unions affiliated to Left and other parties called for a bandh against the economic policies of the BJP-led Government at the Centre. However, the Trinamool Congress-led State Government said it will not support any bandh.
The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the West Bengal Government to take necessary steps for ensuring law and order in the State in view of a nationwide strike. The High Court was hearing a PIL moved by a practising lawyer seeking a direction to the State Government to make sure that there is no disruption of normal life during the strike. A division bench comprising Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan and Justice Arijit Banerjee also directed the administration to ensure that examinations in colleges and competitive tests are not hampered owing to the strike.
“The Ministry of Labour has failed to assure on any of the demands of workers which called a meeting on January 2, 2020. The attitude of the Government is that of contempt towards labour as we construe from its policies and actions,” the 10 Central trade unions said in a joint statement.
“We expect participation of not less than 25 crore of working people in the forthcoming National General Strike on January 8, 2020, to be followed by many more actions seeking reversal of the anti-worker, anti-people, anti-national policies of the Government,” it said. The Central Government, meanwhile, has asked public sector undertakings to dissuade their employees from participating in the ‘Bharat Bandh’ called on Wednesday and advised them to prepare a contingency plan to ensure smooth functioning of the enterprises.
Meanwhile, in Kerala, the trade unions exempted the State’s tourism sector from Wednesday’s general strike. Kerala Travel Mart (KTM) Society hailed as “exemplary” the decision by political parties and trade unions to exempt the State’s tourism sector from Wednesday’s general strike.