Central TUs to observe 2-day strike from today

New Delhi: Central Trade Unions Monday said around 20 crore workers will go on a 2-day nationwide strike from Tuesday to protest against the government's alleged anti-worker policies and unilateral labour reforms. "As many as 10 Central Trade Unions (CTUs) have joined hands to go on a 2-day nationwide strike from Tuesday. We expect 20 crore workers to join the strike.

"This is the largest number of workers from formal and informal sectors joining the strike against anti-people and anti-worker policies of the BJP-led central government," Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary of AITUC, told reporters here in a joint press conference of the 10 CTUs.

She said sectors like telecom, health, education, coal, steel, electricity, banking, insurance and transport among others are likely to support the strike. "We will go on protest march from Mandi House to Parliament in New Delhi on Wednesday. Similar protests would be done across the country."

Kaur said the CTUs are also opposed to unilateral labour reforms. "We have given suggestions on labour codes. But during discussion...TU demands were rejected. We went on strike on September 2, 2016. We also did 3-day 'Mahapadav' (agitation) from November 9-11 in 2017. But the government did not come for dialogue."