Workers to go on 2-day strike on Jan 8, 9

The National Convention of Workers, comprising trade unions affiliated to various opposition parties, have decided to go on a nationwide general strike on January 8 and 9 to protest against anti-worker and anti-people policies of the BJP-led NDA Government. The decision to go on a two-day strike was taken at a convention held in New Delhi on September 28.

The convention jointly organised by 10 central trade unions (INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC,TUCC, AICCTU, SEWA, LPF, UTUC), in association with all independent National Federations of Workers and Employees, of both industrial and service sectors, Central Government and State Government employees. It also includes workers from railways, defence, health, education, postal department and those employed in public sector undertaking such as banks, insurance, telecom, oil, coal, public transport etc.

Those employed in unorganised sectors such as construction, street vendors,



domestic workers, migrant workers, rickshaw, auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers, agricultural workers are also expected to take part.

The unions expressed concern over the deterioration of the economy due to the pro-corporate and anti-people policies pursued by the Central Government and some of the States ruled by the BJP. They claimed it has grievously impacted the livelihood of workers across the country.

The Presidium of the Convention consisted of Ashok Singh, Ramendra Kumar, S.N. Pathak, K. Hemlata, R.K. Sharma, Probir Banerjee, Lata, Santosh Rai and Shatrujeet Singh.

The convention noted that the Government has been ignoring the 12-point charter of demands on minimum wage, universal social security, workers' status and including pay and facilities for the scheme workers, and desist from privatization of public enterprises and hiring employees on contract.