Markets in Capital remain open amid nationwide strike call by trade unions
NEw delhi: Markets across the national capital remained open on Wednesday despite a nationwide strike call given by several trade unions to press for a 17-point charter of demands, including labour rights and social security reforms.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said the bandh had no impact on Delhi’s commercial activity.
“All 700 markets and 56 industrial areas in Delhi are functioning as usual,” said CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal.
Connaught Place, one of the busiest commercial hubs in Delhi, witnessed normal operations. “It is a regular working day for Connaught Place. There is no bandh impact here,” said Amit Gupta, Joint Secretary, New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA).
Khan Market also remained unaffected.
“We have not participated in any bandh. The entire Khan Market is open as usual,” said Sanjiv Khanna, president of Khan Market Traders’ Association.
A joint forum of 10 central trade unions has been staging a Bharat bandh, or a nationwide strike, since Wednesday morning in protest against the four labour codes, contractualisation and privatisation of PSUs, among others.
The forum of ten central trade unions and their associates, which include, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), HMS, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) are participating in the nation-
wide protest.
The unions are demanding the withdrawal of fixed-term employment contracts and the scrapping of the Agnipath military recruitment scheme. Other key demands include an eight-hour workday, restoration of the non-contributory Old Pension Scheme, and a minimum monthly pension of Rs 9,000 for EPFO subscribers.
They have also sought worker status and ESIC coverage for Anganwadi, ASHA, midday meal, and Asha Kiran workers.
The charter calls for the formation of a Climate Resilience Fund to address losses caused by extreme weather events, along with a fresh session of the Indian Labour Conference, which has not been convened since 2015.
Further, the forum has opposed the privatisation of public sector units, including Indian Railways, coal and non-coal mines, electricity, defence, and telecom.
They have demanded a rollback of the corporatisation of ordnance factories and a minimum monthly wage of Rs 26,000, with adjustments for inflation every five years.
The unions had submitted this 17-point charter to Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya last year. Similar strikes were observed earlier on November 26, 2020, March 28-29, 2022, and February 16, 2023.
