Bharat Bandh, Bank strike tomorrow

Ten central trade unions will observe all-India strike (Bharat Bandh) on January 8, 2020, in order to press for 14 demands. Lakhs of workers from across the country are expected to participate in the strike on Wednesday.

The key demand is that the Centre scraps the proposed labour reforms. Others include a hike in the minimum wage to Rs 21,000-Rs 24,000 per month; repealing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR), and halting the privatisation of public sector undertakings.

A number of unions will take part in the strike on Wednesday. The participants include Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF), United Trade Union Congress (UTUC), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) and Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC).

In a related development, Tamil Nadu's Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) have decided to back the strike on January 8.

Bank employees belonging to five bank unions will also join the strike. It is likely to affect banking services on January 8. However, there would not be any impact on online transactions.

Major unions in the Indian banking sector have decided to participate in the National General Strike called by central trade unions on January 8, 2020, said a top leader of All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA).

In a statement, the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) general secretary CH Venkatachalam had last month said that employees of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), co-operative Banks, Regional Rural Banks (RRB), Life Insurance Corporation of India and General Insurance sector will also join the strike.