Joint Forum Of Central Trade Unions Gives Call For Nationwide Strike On March 28, 29

The reiteration by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha regarding the observance of Rural Bandh on March 28 and 29 was also welcomed in the meeting. 

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New Delhi: To protest against government policies affecting workers, farmers, and people, a joint forum of central trade unions has given a call for a nationwide strike on March 28 and 29, reported news agency PTI.

A meeting of the Joint Platform of central trade unions was held in Delhi on Tuesday where  preparations were reviewed  in various states and sectors for the proposed two-day all India strike on March 28 and 29 against "the anti-worker, anti-farmer, anti-people and anti-national policies" of the central government, a statement said.

Roadways, transport workers and electricity workers have decided to join the strike in spite of the impending threat of ESMA (Haryana and Chandigarh, respectively), the statement said 

The strike will also be joined by financial sectors, including banking and insurance, it further stated.

The strike notices have been given by unions in the sectors such as coal, steel, oil, telecom, postal, income tax, copper, banks, insurance among others, it also stated.

Mass mobilisation in support of strike at several hundreds of spots will be made by the unions in railways and defence sector , it stated.

The meeting took note of the fact that emboldened by the results of the recently-held state elections, the BJP Government at centre has intensified the attacks on the working people, reducing the interest rate on EPF accumulations to 8.1 per cent from 8.5 per cent, sudden hike in petrol, LPG, kerosene, CNG etc., taking steps to implement their program of monetization (PSU land bundles) but are held back only because of the worsening condition of inflation and crashing share markets.

All these above policies were condemned by the meeting, the statement said. 

The reiteration by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha regarding the observance of Rural Bandh on March 28 and 29 was also welcomed in the meeting. 

An appeal was made by the meeting to various unions at State levels for joining the strike to oppose anti-labour policies of the Centre, the four labour codes being its glaring example.

The central trade unions which are part of this joint forum are INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC.