Bharat Bandh: 2-Day Nationwide Strike Begins, Essential Services Likely To Be Impacted

As the 2-day nationwide strike called by a joint forum of central trade unions begins today (March 28) some essential services are likely to be impact. This includes banking services, electricity, transportation and railways.

“We are expecting participation of over 20 crore formal and informal workers with mass mobilisation of workers across the country during the strike on March 28 and 29 to protest against government policies,” All Indian Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur told news agency PTI.

Informal workers in sectors like farming are also expected to join the nationwide protest in rural parts of the country, she said.

Sectors where notices of strikes have been issued by workers’ unions include banks, insurance, income tax, postal, telecom, power, oil, steel, coal and copper. Bank employees’ unions have said they will support the strike.

Mass mobilizations will be undertaken by unions in railways and defense sectors in show of support from the nationwide strike, said the joint forum of central trade unions. Through the protest, the worker unions are demanding a number of policy changes including the scrapping of proposed changes in labour laws, privatisation of any kind and the national monetisation pipeline. Other demands include regularisation of contract workers and increased allocation of wages under MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act).

Despite the threat of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), workers in departments like roadways, transport and electricity have also announced decision to join the nationwide strike in spite of the impending threat. The ESMA is likely to be enforced in Haryana and Chandigarh, as per the statement of the joint forum.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Power put on high alert on Sunday all the regional and state control room executives to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply round-the-clock and maintaining stability of the national grid.

Several public sector banks, including SBI, PNB and Canara Bank, have stated that their banking services may be partially hit due to the planned strike, adding that necessary arrangements have been done to ensure normal functioning.