Delhi; 26 Nov 2020 (UMMN): More than 200 million workers from all sectors are expected to swarm the streets on November 26 in a nationwide “the mother of all strikes" called by 10 central trade unions and several of their affiliates.
According to Mint, more than 200 million workers from all sectors, including banking, coal, oil, defence, public sector enterprises and transport, will join the general strike to oppose the government’s “anti-people and anti-worker" policies, said Amarjeet Kaur, general secretary, All India Trade Union Congress.
“We will not let the government forget workers...issues of their jobs and livelihood," said Kaur. In the last six years a ministerial group created to negotiate with trade unions on workers’ issues has only met them once, in 2015, she added.
The Workers’ unions are demanding, among others, Rs 21,000 minimum wage, higher basic pension for all, tripartite discussion on labour reform, and a rollback on privatization of profit-making public sector undertakings.
“You will see farmers’ associations, government scheme workers, and informal workers’ groups on the street with the same passion as industrial workers who will stay away from work to join the protest," said H.S. Sidhu, general secretary, Hind Mazdoor Sabha.
About 60 organizations of students and elected office bearers of some universities have declared their solidarity with the workers and have led the convergence of these issues with protests against a rise in fee structures and opposition to commercialization of education, reported Mint.
31 leaders of trade unions and farmers’ movements were arrested on Tuesday, November 24 in the State of Haryana, but the leaders said that would not dampen the protests. The State is ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in coalition with Jannayak Janata Party (JJP).
The BJP under Narendra Modi is also in power at the Center. The trade unions and farmers’ organizations said the arrests will “only embolden” the agitation.
