The nationwide strike of left and Congress trade unions on Wednesday evoked a mixed response. While normal life was disrupted in left bastions of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura, banking and coal sectors were severely hit across the nation. Apart from sporadic cases of violent clashes between left and TMC supporters, the day largely passed off peacefully. Business chambers put the loss to the economy at a staggering Rs25,000 crore.
Union leaders claimed that over 15 crore organised sector workers went on strike, the call for which was given by ten central trade unions against changes in labour laws, PSU privatisation and other issues.
The BJP-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and National Front of Indian Trade Unions, however, stayed away from the strike. The Government, however, said that the strike did not have much of an impact in most parts of the country, even as it hinted at meeting the “aspirations” of the workers on nine out of 12 demands made by them.
The labour Ministry further said in a statement that out of 12 central trade unions, two did not join the strike, three unions remained neutral and only seven unions went on strike. The Ministry said the situation by and large remained normal and peaceful across the country and the Government was positive on meeting many of the workers’ demands without any pressure.
The ten unions, however, said in a joint statement that the response to the strike call was “unprecedented” with “millions of workers” staying away from work. Assocham secretary general DS Rawat said the financial impact of the disruption of essential services might lead to an estimated loss of over Rs25,000 crore to the economy, taking into account the numerous direct and indirect losses.
“Export cargo would be hit as the strike disrupted crucial delivery schedules. With exports being under pressure, such things would result in further setback,” Rawat said, adding that labour reforms were “necessary and the Government should intervene to come to an agreeable solution in the interest of the industry.”
The impact of the strike was most visible in West Bengal, Tripura, Kerala, Karnataka, Puducherry and Odisha among other places, while partial impact was seen in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Gujarat, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Normal life was affected in Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Rajasthan also, but there was not much impact in financial capital Mumbai except for banking services. However, commodity markets remained closed in most parts of the country.
Banking services were among the worst hit as 23 public sector banks, 12 private sector banks, 52 regional rural banks and over 13,000 cooperative banks joined the stir. However, staff at SBI, Indian
Overseas Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank chose to stay away from the strike.
All-India Bank Employees Association General Secretary C H Venkatachalam said nearly five lakh bank employees and officers joined the strike. In West Bengal, over 1,000 people were arrested from different parts after clashes occurred at some places between left and Trinamool workers, including in Murshidabad district.
Altogether 974 people were arrested in various districts and 50 others in the metropolis for trying to enforce the bandh, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee told reporters in Kolkata.
Train services of South Eastern Railway and Eastern Railway were partially affected, but Metro Rail services in Kolkata remained normal.
labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, who on Wednesday left for Turkey along with labour Secretary Shankar Aggarwal for the G-20 Meeting, had on Tuesday appealed to trade unions to call off the agitation in the interest of workers and the nation.
The unions, however, decided to go ahead with the strike after their talks with a ministerial panel last month failed to yield desired results on their 12-point charter of demands. The demands included urgent measures to rein in price rise, containing unemployment, strict enforcement of basic labour laws, universal social security cover for all workers and minimum wage of Rs 15,000 per month.
They are also demanding higher pensions, stopping disinvestment in PSUs, ending contract system, removal of ceiling on bonus and Provident Fund, compulsory registration of trade unions within 45
days, no unilateral amendment to labour laws and stopping FDI in Railways and Defence.
State-run Coal India saw nearly half of its 1.7 million tonne daily production being hit by the strike, as a majority of around four lakh coal workers across the country joined the strike. Union leaders, however, said the impact could be 90 per cent at Coal India, which accounts for 80 per cent of the country’s total coal production. Power generation and other utilities were largely normal.