Bharat Bandh Today: Trade Union Workers Block Trains In Bengal, Banking Services And Transport Disrupted

Ten central trade unions are observing the nationwide strike. Know the key demands and which services will be affected.

Bharat Bandh: A number of central trade unions have called for a nationwide general strike on Thursday, November 26, to protest the government's "anti-labour policies". As many as 25 crore workers are likely to participate in the countrywide strike, called by a joint forum of ten central trade unions. Also Read|Dilli Chalo Movement: Police On High Alert As Farmers March To Capital City; DMRC Services Hit

Strike on 26 November 2020: Key demands

As per the union leaders, here are the major demands:

• Withdrawal of all "anti-farmer laws and anti-worker labour codes"
• Payment of Rs 7,500 in the accounts of each non-tax paying family
• Monthly supply of 10 kg of food grains to needy families
• MGNREGS expansion to give 200 workdays every year, higher wages, and the scheme’s implementation in urban areas
• Stop "privatisation of the public sector, including the financial sector, and stop corporatisation of government-run manufacturing and service entities like railways, ordinance factories, ports, etc."
• Withdrawal of the "draconian circular on forced premature retirement of government and PSU employees"
• Pension to all, scrapping of NPS (National Pension System) and the reimposition of earlier pension with improvement in EPS-95 (Employees' Pension Scheme-1995 run by retirement fund body EPFO)

Who is participating in the Bharat Bandh? The ten central unions include Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Co-ordination 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). Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) will not participate in the strike.

Which services will be affected?

• Several Trade Union workers and the members of Left trade union block railway track at Belgharia station in North 24 Parganas blocked trains to support the Bharat Bandh.
• According to a joint statement, the Independent Sectoral Federations and Associations in the central and state government employees and in the public sector enterprises have served the strike notice in most of the places, similarly the industrial units in the private sector, big and small, also have submitted notices to this effect in most part of the country. The scheme workers, domestic workers, construction workers, beedi workers, hawkers, vendors, agricultural workers, self-employed in rural and urban India have also decided to come to the streets for 'chakka jam'.

Bhubaneswar: Members of Odisha Nirmana Sramik Federation, All India Central Council of Trade Unions & All Orissa Petrol & Diesel Pump Workers Union hold demonstration as trade unions have called for a nationwide strike against Centre's new labour laws pic.twitter.com/ufVwyQD4La

— ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020

• In many states, auto and taxi drivers have also decided to keep off the roads. Bus Services have also taken a hit in many states.

Kerala: Bus services affected, markets closed in Kochi as trade unions have called for a nationwide strike against Centre's new labour and farm laws pic.twitter.com/uLCuegOIdX

— ANI (@ANI) November 26, 2020

• Bank operations in some regions are also likely to take a hit as the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) extended support to the nationwide strike. The association represents the majority of banks except for the State Bank of India and Indian Overseas Bank. It has as many as four lakh bank employees from the various public and old private sector and a few foreign banks as its members.
• As many as 30,000 bank employees in Maharashtra from 10,000 bank branches of public sector banks, old generation private sector banks, regional rural banks, and foreign banks will observe the strike. The AIEBEA said bank employees will also focus on their demands such as opposition to bank privatisation, opposition to outsourcing and contract system, adequate recruitment, stern action against big corporate defaulters, increase in the rate of interest on bank deposits, and reduction in service charges.