Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Dec 6: The nationwide wide strike to be held on January 8 is expected to see participation from about 25 crore people across India, with ten trade central unions confirming participation in the protest on Monday January 6.

Trade unions INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC along with various sectoral independent federations and associations had adopted a declaration in September 2019, to go on a nationwide strike on January 8.

"With this strike, we aim to seek reversal of the anti-worker, anti-people, anti-national policies of the Government. 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," highlighted a joint statement issued by the 10 central trade unions (CTUs).

Condemning the privatization of PSUs such as airports, railways, corporatisation of 49 defence production units and forced merger of banks, the statement read, "12 airports are already sold out to private hands. 100 per cent sale of Air India is already decided, decision to sell BPCL is taken, BSNL-MTNL merger is announced and 93,600 telecom workers already thrown out of jobs under the garb of VRS (voluntary retirement scheme)."

Since July 2015, no Indian Labour Conference has been held, the statement highlighted.

Apart from CTUs, students of 60 organisations and elected office bearers of some universities will join the protest, condemning increased fee structure and commercialization of education. More than 175 farmers and agricultural workers unions will extend its support to workers' demands and observe January 8 as Gramin Bharart Bandh, the statement read.

Here are 10 key points about the strike:

1. The unions have a total of 14 demands, some of the major ones being scrapping of the proposed labour reforms. The other key demands include a raise in the minimum wage to Rs 21,000 to Rs 24,000 per month, stopping the privatisation of public sector undertakings, halting the forced merger of banks and withdrawing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR).

2. The strike is being supported by All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF), United Trade Union Congress (UTUC), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) and Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC).

3. Hospitals, pharmacies and emergency services will function as usual.

4. Availability of milk, fruits, vegetables and other basic items will not be affected.

5. Holiday has not been declared for schools and colleges yet, however, deputy commissioner of each district has been asked to take a call on the matter.

6. Buses will stay off roads and other public transport will be affected.

7. Bengaluru Metro will function normally.

8. ATMs will remain open.

9. Central and state government offices will remain open.

10. Banks, including cooperative banks, will remain closed.