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Economic Times
09-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Bharat Bandh Alert: Over 25 crore workers to strike on Wednesday; Banks, transport, post offices and more sectors likely to be hit nationwide
Synopsis Over 25 crore Indian workers are set to strike nationwide on Wednesday, protesting the government's pro-corporate policies. Key sectors like banking, mining, and transport are expected to face disruptions as unions voice concerns over labor rights, privatization, and wage stagnation. Farmers and rural workers are also joining, amplifying the strike's impact against economic policies. Public services likely to hit as over 25 crore workers set to go on nationwide strike on Wednesday On Wednesday, more than 25 crore workers across India are expected to go on a nationwide general strike, or Bharat Bandh, in protest against what they call the government's 'anti-worker, anti-farmer, and pro-corporate policies.'The strike has been called by a forum of 10 central trade unions and their associates, and is likely to disrupt services in key sectors such as banking, insurance, postal, coal mining, highways, construction, and even state transport across various states. The unions say that the government is ignoring workers' concerns while pushing policies that benefit a statement, the union forum said preparations are already underway across formal and informal sectors. 'More than 25 crore workers are expected to join. Farmers and rural workers will also support the protest,' said Amarjeet Kaur from the All India Trade Union to Harbhajan Singh Sidhu of Hind Mazdoor Sabha, the strike will likely affect: Banking and financial services Postal departments Coal mines and factories State transport Public sector enterprises Unions from NMDC Ltd, steel sector, non-coal minerals, and various state government departments have also announced their protesting unions say they had earlier submitted a 17-point demand charter to Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, but no meaningful action has accuse the government of: Not conducting the annual labour conference for 10 years Trying to weaken trade unions through new labour codes Increasing working hours and reducing workers' rights Promoting privatisation and contractual jobs Ignoring demands for more recruitments and better wages Offering benefits to employers under ELI (Employment Linked Incentive) schemes, instead of solving youth unemployment The Samyukta Kisan Morcha and agricultural workers' unions are backing the strike. They plan to mobilise support in rural areas and raise voices against the government's economic decisions which, they say, are worsening unemployment, increasing prices, and reducing social welfare unions have carried out similar nationwide strikes in the past: November 26, 2020 March 28-29, 2022 February 16, 2023 This upcoming strike on Wednesday could be one of the largest yet, both in numbers and the day approaches, disruptions across essential services are likely, and the protest could become a major moment in the ongoing debate over labour rights, job creation, and economic justice in India. Inputs from PTI
New Indian Express
09-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Bharat bandh: Unions protest Modi government's anti-worker policies
NEW DELHI: Day to day life in several states across the country was disrupted due to closure of public offices as well as blockage of roads and railways during the nationwide general strike -- Bharat bandh -- called by ten trade unions spearheaded by the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). The bandh was observed in Puducherry, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka, Goa, Meghalaya and Manipur. A partial strike was observed in Rajasthan, Haryana, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Industrial and sector-specific strikes were organised Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Gujarat. General Secretary of AITUC, Amarjeet Kaur, told TNIE, "We expected participation from roughly 25 crore workers. The response has been overwhelming with a much higher number taking part both from the formal and informal sectors." She added, "People are upset due to multiple issues including high price rise and loss of jobs and empathised with us completely. This has made us determined to go ahead with our next course of action which will be much bigger and in association with farmer organisations." Workers and the police clashed in a few places in Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu, with some protestors taken into preventive custody for a few hours and released. "The rank and file of Samyukt Kisan Morcha and joint front of Agricultural Labour Unions played significant role in the mobilisation in rural India," said a joint statement released by the participating Unions (list of unions at the end). Worker unions in Coal, NMDC, iron-ore, Copper, Bauxite and Aluminium, Steel and Gold mines also took part. Employees in Banks, LIC, GIC, Petroleum, Electricity, Post offices, Grameen Dak Sevaks, Telecom, Atomic Energy, Cement, Port & Dock Tea plantations and Jute Mills protested.
The Print
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Trade unions go on daylong strike, services largely unaffected
The forum has claimed that 25 crore workers are being mobilised for the 'general strike' in protest against the new labour codes, along with other issues. There were reports of the strike impacting a select few services in Kerala, Jharkhand, and Puducherry. New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) Employees and workers associated with 10 central trade unions went on a daylong strike on Wednesday but essential services remained unaffected. All India Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur told PTI that the general strike started across the country on Wednesday morning and she has received reports and pictures of the agitation from states, including West Bengal, Kerala, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar. She said banking, postal, and electricity services will be affected by the strike. She further said the farmers' unions in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan will also hold protest in their areas. The unions' demands include doing away with the four labour codes, contractualisation, privatisation of PSUs, increasing minimum wages to Rs 26,000 per month, as well as the demands of farmer organisations for minimum support price for crops based on Swaminathan commission's formula of C2 plus 50 per cent, and loan waiver for farmers. In West Bengal, the government has made arrangements to ensure that normal life was not impacted during the strike. There were efforts to block roads and trains in certain parts of the state but police and administration made elaborate security and transport arrangements to ensure normal life. Many parts of Kerala, which is ruled by the CPI(M), came to a standstill due to the strike. The strike has received strong support from trade unions and Left-leaning organisations in the state. In Puducherry, privately operated buses, autos and tempos were off the roads due to the strike. The managements of private schools declared a holiday as a precautionary measure, according to sources. Shops, establishments, vegetable and fish markets remained closed. PTI KKS AMR LGK TRB This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Print
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Print
Banking, postal, electricity services to be hit as trade unions go on nation-wide strike
All India Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur told PTI that the general strike started across the country on Wednesday morning and she has received reports and pictures of the agitation from states, including West Bengal, Kerala, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar. The forum has claimed that 25 crore workers are being mobilised for the 'general strike' in protest against the new labour codes, along with other issues. New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) A forum of 10 central trade unions went on strike across the country on Wednesday affecting postal, banking, electricity, public transport among several other services. She said banking, postal, and electricity services will be affected by the strike. She said copper and coal mining will be hit, while the impact will also be felt on public transport in several states. She further said the farmers' unions in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan will also hold protest in their areas. The unions' demands include doing away with the four labour codes, contractualisation, privatisation of PSUs, increasing minimum wages to Rs 26,000 per month, as well as the demands of farmer organisations for minimum support price for crops based on Swaminathan commission's formula of C2 plus 50 per cent, and loan waiver for farmers. PTI KKS TRB This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Hindu
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Over 25 crore workers joined the strike, claim trade unions
More than 25 crore workers participated in the nationwide general strike on Wednesday (July 9, 2025) against the policies of the Union government, particularly for scrapping the four Labour Codes, the platform of 10 central trade unions (CTUs) said. The leaders of the unions, addressing a workers' rally in New Delhi, said key sectors such as power, mines, minerals, coal, ports and public transport were affected by the strike. The CTUs said in a statement that there were very large mobilisations in rural India and also at block-sub-division levels by informal sector workers, agricultural labour and farmers and other sections of common people. 'Participation of students and youth was quite visible in many States. The rank and file of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha [SKM] and joint front of agricultural labour unions played a significant role in the mobilisation in rural India,' they added. Bharat Bandh: Follow LIVE udpates on July 9, 2025 Stern warning Senior trade union leader Amarjeet Kaur said the workers gave a stern warning to the Centre that any move to impose the four Labour Codes would be opposed. She said the strike was the beginning of more joint protests with farmers. 'We will soon have a joint meeting with the SKM to chart the future course of the protests,' she said. The CTUs also appreciated Opposition leaders joining their case in election-bound Bihar. 'The move to exclude workers from voter list in Bihar will be objected,' said another trade union leader Rajeev Dimri. Former MP and general secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions Tapan Sen said the strike saw widespread participation of workers across numerous sectors such as coal, non-coal minerals (like iron ore, copper, bauxite, aluminium, manganese, and gold) finance sector, petroleum, oil and gas, telecom, textile and jute mills, defence sector and anganwadi workers. 'The markets were closed at many places in response to the strike/bandh call,' the CTUs said. They added that it was a bandh-like situation in States such as Puducherry, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka, Goa, Meghalaya, Manipur etc. 'Reports of partial bandhs were also received in many segments of Rajasthan, Haryana, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh etc. There was industrial and sectoral strike held in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Gujarat,' they said. The unions claimed that people expressed themselves against the rising inequalities in the face of unprecedented price rise of essential commodities, rising unemployment and underemployment, leading to desperation, increased suicides of casual labour and the unemployed youth. 'The government has not been conducting Indian Labour Conference for the last 10 years, violating international labour standards and continues to take decisions in contravention of the interests of labour force, including attempts to impose four Labour Codes to favour employers in the name of 'Ease of doing Business',' the CTUs said. The leaders said the general strike was the beginning of the prolonged battle in the days to follow in the sectoral levels focused on determined united resistance, again to culminate into a bigger national-level heightened united action.
