Schools, colleges shut
Bhubaneswar: In view of the nation-wide strike called by various trade unions, the state government Monday ordered closure of all educational institutions including schools, colleges and anganwadi centres Tuesday. The higher education and school & mass education departments came up with notifications to this effect. Sources in the women and child development department said the anganwadi
centres will be closed down for Tuesday and Wednesday also.
New Delhi: Central Trade Unions Monday said around 20 crore workers will go on a 2-day nationwide strike from Tuesday to protest against the government’s alleged anti-worker policies and unilateral labour reforms. BJD’s labour front- Biju Shramik Samukhya (BSS) has also extended its support to the two-day bandh.
“The anti-labour laws introduced by the Centre are in the interests of multi-national companies. There is no control on price-rise while the social security of workers is vulnerable. The Centre has not earmarked funds for the welfare of over 40 crore organised and unorganised workers in the country,” BSS secretary general Subash Singh said.
Trade Union leader Janardhan Pati said. “The strike will affect all Central government oraginsations including its PSUs. There will be a rail-roko also. Transporters are also supporting our call.”
All Odisha Private Bus Owners’ Association spokesperson Debasish Nayak said they are not going to support the strike. However, the playing of buses during the day time may be stopped, he said. “As many as 10 Central Trade Unions (CTUs) have joined hands for the strike,’ he said.
“This is the largest number of workers from formal and informal sectors joining the strike against anti-people and anti-worker policies of the BJP-led central government,” Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary of AITUC, told reporters here in a joint press conference of the 10 CTUs.
She said sectors like telecom, health, education, coal, steel, electricity, banking, insurance and transport among others are likely to support the strike.
“We will go on protest march from Mandi House to Parliament in New Delhi Wednesday. Similar protests would be done across the country,” she said. Kaur said the CTUs are also opposed to unilateral labour reforms.
The 10 CTUs going on strike include INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC. RSS affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) will not participate.
“The government has failed to create jobs and grossly ignored unions’ 12-point charter of demands. The Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on labour issues has not called unions for any discussion since September 2, 2015 strike. This has left us with no other option but to go on strike,” Kaur said.
In a joint statement, the CTUs also alleged that the government undermined tripartism and continued its “aggressive attack with arrogance on the lives and livelihood of the working people.”
They are also opposed to the proposed amendments in Trade Union Act, 1926 saying those are irrational and extremely damaging to the independent functioning of unions.
Meanwhile, Director General of Police RP Sharma urged the trade unions to observe the bandh in a peaceful manner. He requested the protestors to avoid violence during the bandh. Commissioner of Police Satyajit Mohanty said 35 platoons of police will be deployed in Bhubaneswar while 15 platoons will be posted in Cuttack during the bandh Tuesday.