New Delhi: The nationwide bandh called by 10 trade unions to protest against changes in labour laws and privatisation of PSUs has badly affected normal life in parts of West Bengal, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana. Financial services were hit on Wednesday as lakhs of bank and insurance employees across the country began a one-day strike to protest against the anti-trade union and worker policies of the central government.
Trade unions claim that if the government amends key laws – Factory Establishment Act, Bonus Act and Industrial relations – 75 per cent of the workforce will be out of the purview of labour laws.
The government plans to take small factories, which have up to 40 workers, out of the labour laws. Unions say this would take away the job security of most of the workforce.
The workers on strike are from the banking, manufacturing, construction and coal mining sectors. The new labour laws are expected to diminish the influence of trade unions and make the labour market more flexible.
Hawkers, domestic workers and daily wage labourers have also joined the strike to demand an increase in the minimum wage.
