Nationwide strike hits life in WB, Kerala
Workers affiliated to central trade unions on Tuesday went on a day-long industrial strike across the country to protest against price rise, alleged violation of labour laws and disinvestment in PSUs disrupting normal life in Left-ruled West Bengal and Kerala.
Elsewhere, life remained unaffected by the strike which comes two months after a nation-wide bandh called by BJP and Left parties against the UPA Government's economic policies and the spiralling prices.
Workers from sectors including coal, power, telecom, banks, insurance, defence, port and dock, road transport, petroleum and construction are participating in the countrywide strike under the banner of AITUC, CITU, HMS, AIUTUC, TUCC, AICCTU, UTUC and Congress-affiliated INTUC.
Bank employees, mainly belonging to public sector, cooperative and rural banks, joined the strike opposing FDI in the banking sector and grant of licences to private banks.
The strike disrupted flight operations and road transport and business and industries in West Bengal and Kerala.
The call for the strike was given by Coordination Committee of the Central Trade Unions of which INTUC president G Sanjeeva Reddy is the convener.
"Strike has begun all over the country. Those employed in private sector are also participating the strike in many places," AITUC general secretary and CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta said.
Normal life was hit in West Bengal and Kerala with air and road transport remaining disrupted in the wake of the strike call which took the shape of a bandh in the two Left-ruled states.
Flight operations to and from Kolkata were crippled as private airlines including Kingfisher, Indigo, Jet Airways and Spicejet together cancelled nearly 80 flights.
However, Air India sources in Kolkata said their flight operations remained normal with the airline operating eight flights in the morning after the strike began.
In Kerala, the strike was total in transport sector with buses, trucks and taxis keeping off the roads.
However, the protest did not affect public utilities like power and water supply. Trains were also running without any disruption.
In Tamil Nadu, the day-long strike evoked lukewarm response as normal life remained unaffected. But, flight services on the Chennai-Kolkata route were hit as six flights were cancelled.
In a five-point charter, Trade unions have also demanded that disinvestment in public sectors be stopped and substantial investment for social security in the unorganised sector be made.
The unions also wanted the government to take steps to stop violation of labour laws, job losses and contractualisation of service in the country among other issues.
"Trade unions cannot be marginalised. They must be heard. We want social justice, reasonable share of the wealth that workers produce. That's all," Dasgupta Said.
Officials at Delhi airport on Tuesday said there was no impact of the strike on any of its operations.
Among the airlines, national carrier Air India's flights to Kolkata were as per schedule but Kingfisher airlines and Jet airways did not operate any aircraft to the left-ruled state.
As many as 29 Kingfisher flights, that includes to and from Kolkata, and 70 belonging to Jet and Jetlite did not operate, officials of the airliners said.
Spice jet has cancelled 27 of its flights across India and Indigo did not operate 51 of its flights, DGCA officials said.
