Nagpur: While Trade Union Leaders claimed that the strike would be even bigger than the one last year the response to the Bharat Bandh seemed to have a luke warm response in the city.
With as many as ten Central Trade Unions giving a one-day nationwide strike call to protest against the government’s “indifference” to their demands for better wages and facilities and the “anti-worker” changes in labour laws most Nationalized Banks remained closed and various Employees Trade Unions were standing outside and shouting slogans against the policies of the Government, private banks chose to remain open.
Insurance Companies like Life Insurance Corporation, General Insurance Corporation and others were on strike and had participated in the Bharat Bandh. The members of employees’ unions were also seen standing outside the gate and shouting slogans against the government’s indifference and anti-labour policies.
Essential services like public transport including buses of Star City Bus Service and Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation continued to ply since their unions chose not to participate in the strike. This ensured that the regular passengers of City Bus and ST buses did not suffer because of the Bandh.
Of the two Labour Unions of Railways (i.e. Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh and National Mazdoor Union), the members of the Central Railway Mazdoor Sangh has decided not to participate in the strike. This ensured that the passengers of Railways were not affected by the Bharat Bandh.
However, shopkeepers in Sitabuldi area did not seem too eager to keep their shutters down and participate in the All India Trader Union’s strike. Many had already started opening their shops and started operations
