Bharat Bandh Today: What's Open, What's Closed During General Strike?
The strike, called by a forum of 10 central trade unions, has been organised to protest against the 'pro-corporate policies' of the government.
More than 25 crore workers from sectors like banking, insurance, postal services, coal mining and highways have called for a nationwide general strike on Wednesday.
The strike, called by a forum of 10 central trade unions, has been organised to protest against the "pro-corporate policies" of the government. In view of the Bharat Bandh, the trade unions have been mobilising support across both organised and unorganised sectors.
The All India Trade Union Congress, Indian National Trade Union Congress, Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Self Employed Women's Association, Labour Progressive Federation and the United Trade Union Congress are participating in the strike with support from Samyukta Kisan Morcha, rural worker unions, public sector staff from Railways, NMDC Ltd, and steel industries.
Reasons For Protest
Some reasons for the strike include labour policies that hurt worker protections, the push for four new labour codes reducing rights like collective bargaining and striking, increasing unemployment and inflation, cuts in healthcare, education, and civic amenities, dearth of jobs for youth and employment of retirees instead, no labour conference in this decade, and attempts to take away rights of migrant workers.
Services That Will Get Affected
As the workers from sectors such as banking, insurance, postal services, coal mining and highways and construction are participating in this strike, the companies and business establishments in these fields are likely to be impacted the most.
Other than that state-run public transport, government offices and public sector units will also be affected. Farmer-led rallies are also supposed to take place in rural areas.
Uninterrupted Operations
The National Stock Exchange and BSE have not announced any scheduled holiday. So, it is expected to be a normal trading day for stock market participants.
The NSE and BSE operate on a standard schedule from Monday to Friday, with trading hours for the equity segment set from 9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Schools, colleges, private offices, will stay open. The railway service does not have a confirmed strike, although delays are expected.
Protesters' Demands
The most important demand for the strikers is stopping the four new labour codes. Other demands include restoring workers' right to unionise and strike, creating more jobs, especially for youth, filling government vacancies with new recruitments, increasing MGNREGA wages and expanding it to urban areas, and improving public health, education, and civic services.
