The Centre seems to be staring at a full-blown crisis with the country’s main trade unions all set to go on a nation-wide strike in protest against the government’s economic policies and labour laws on 2nd September. With Central Government employees’ unions, university and college teachers’ unions, as well as bank unions deciding to join the stir, the nation could come to a standstill as all major public services are going to be affected. More than a million workers in banking, telecom and other sectors will go on strike on Friday, seeking higher wages and to protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s labour reforms and a plan to close some loss-making firms. Ten trade unions including the All India Trade Unions Congress (AITUC) and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) rejected a government appeal on Tuesday to call off the strike, saying it failed to address their demands. These unions claim a combined membership of 15 crore workers in public and private sector enterprises, including banks and insurance companies. The RSS-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has, however, decided to keep away from the strike. Since taking charge in May 2014, Modi has implemented a raft of economic reforms and is trying to ease labour laws to attract foreign investment and make it easier to do business in the country. The government aims to raise Rs 56,000 crore through privatisation this fiscal year, and shut down some companies. Losses at 77 state-run companies exceeded $4 billion in the last fiscal year. Trade unions have been against the “tangible proactive steps” not addressed by the government such as a rollback of privatisation in sectors like defence and railways, and an increase in minimum wages. On 30th March, central trade unions including INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, among others, had given a call for a day-long nationwide strike on 2nd September to protest against the Modi government’s “unilateral labour reforms and anti-worker policies”. Nearly five lakh other bank union workers and officers are set to join the strike. The stand-off would be the first big agitation the Modi Govt would be facing after coming to the power in 2014.
