Vehicular movement hit by twin strike
The forum of 10 central trade unions and their associates, which include, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), HMS, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Coordination 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) participated in the nation-wide protest. The Opposition Congress and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) extended their support to the protest of trade unions.
Similarly, the drivers of different transportation vehicles including buses, taxis and trucks resorted to the cease work protest since Tuesday morning demanding welfare measures for the drivers in the State. The protesters staged demonstrations in different places and blocked several roads including national highways in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Bargarh, Bhadrak, Balasore, Bolangir and Sambalpur.
Due to the protest by trade unions and thousands of drivers, vehicular movement has been severely affected in the State, said a police officer. A large number of vehicles remained stranded on both sides of major roads and NHs as the protesters picketed on the roads. The protesters were also seen staging a protest blocking the railway tracks in Bhubaneswar station. The commuters remained stranded in the bus stands across the State.
Several Central government offices, banks, business establishments and educational institutions were also partially affected in some places including Rayagada, Berhampur, Nabarangpur and Gajapati districts, police said. Fuel stations in Bhubaneswar remained closed as the trade union members picketed before the petrol pumps. However, the offices and educational institutions functioned normally in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and some other cities.
Trade union leader Sura Jena, who was leading a protest near the railway station here, alleged that the Narendra Modi-led Central government is exploiting the labourers of the country by imposing the Labour Codes. 'The Central government is privatising Central PSUs, airports and other public properties one after another and failed to control inflation and unemployment, which is at its peak,' he said.
Among major demands, the Trade Unions demanded immediate rollback of the four Labour Codes, Rs 26,000 per month wage for workers, reinstating the old pension scheme and strengthening protections for workers in both organised and unorganised sectors.
Under the banner of Odisha Drivers' Mahasangha, thousands of drivers of buses, trucks, vans, taxis, auto rickshaws and other commercial vehicles have been staging 'steering down' protest as their talk with the State government remained inconclusive.
The protesting drivers held different meetings for over four hours on Tuesday night with the Transport department officers and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena.
Aditya Prasad Behera, treasurer of the association, said, 'No decision has been taken yet. Our president will announce if the strike will be called off.'
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