10 key Indian trade unions go on 24-hr nationwide strike

Members of ten major trade unions in India went on a 24-hour nationwide strike today in protest of the government’s privatisation and other economic policies.

Besides the members of the trade unions most of which are linked to the Congress and Left parties, various sectoral independent federations are also participating in the strike, Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress said, according to our New Delhi correspondent.

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"We are protesting against rising prices, sale of the public sector (firms), 100 per cent FDI in railways, defence, coal, pharma, animal husbandry, security services and codification of 44 (central labour) laws," she told PTI.

The unions’ demands also include a minimum pension of Rs 6,000 for everyone, minimum support price (MSP) for farmers, adequate supply of ration to people, Kaur said.

In Delhi, she said, workers' processions will be taken out in industrial areas despite rains, the correspondent said.

"We are getting reports from all over India. State-run Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd workers have gone on strike and oil companies unions are on strike. There is a situation of bandh in states of north-east, Odisha, Pondicherry, Kerala and Maharashtra,” Kaur said.