India : Workers' strike: over 10,000 units likely to be hit
More than seven lakh workers in over 10,000 industrial units in Gurgaon-Manesar-Bawal region, including automobile, pharmaceutical and garments factories, are likely to down tools on Friday as part of a daylong
nationwide strike against the alleged “anti-labour” policies of the Union government.
Some of the major demands of the protesting workers include hike in minimum wages, strict implementation of labour laws and abolition of contract system.
President of Centre of Indian Trade Union, Haryana, Satbir Singh toldThe Hinduthat the production in major automobile companies like Maruti Suzuki, Hero Motocorp and Honda is expected to be hit as their workers’ unions have pledged support to the strike. “Besides, a large number of vendor companies of these three automobile majors, most of the garment, pharmaceutical and engineering firms are likely to be affected. Also, the employees of Haryana Roadways, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam, Public Works Department, Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon and the Haryana Urban Development Authority have extended support to the strike,” said Mr. Singh.
The workers will also take out a march from Kamla Nehru Park to Mahavir Chowk near bus stand on Friday afternoon.
All three major employee unions in Haryana -- Sarva Karamchari Sangh, Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh and Sanyunkt Karamchari Sangh -- have decided to support the strike. Banks, LIC, telecom and postal services will also remain affected due to the strike.
Deputy general-secretary of Haryana Workers Union Ombir Sharma said that all Haryana Roadways buses, including the city buses in Gurgaon, would remain off the roads on Friday. He said that the union leaders were also in talks with the private bus operators to support the strike.
Gurgaon Industrial Association president V.P. Bajaj said that several companies had decided to remain shut in view of the strike. “I have information from about a thousand firms that have decided to remain shut tomorrow. Though it has not been declared a holiday, but they had talks with the unions and decided to remain shut,” said Mr. Bajaj.
Prohibitory orders
Meanwhile, Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner T.L. Satyaprakash has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code for three days starting from September 1 within 500 metre of all bus stands and Haryana Roadways workshops in Gurgaon amid “apprehensions that the protesting workers may damage the property of the roadways”.
The Haryana government has directed all heads of departments, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners and managing directors or chief administrators of all the boards and corporations in the State to prepare a contingency plan so that office functioning and essential services to the public do not suffer on account of the strike.
Police flag march in Noida
The Gautam Budh Nagar police carried out a flag march in Noida’s industrial areas and sectors and villages where labourers live. The flag march started from Sector-20 police station and covered Sector-20, 24, 58 and Phase-3. Another march took place in Phase-2 of Noida, which is home to industries.
A spokesperson for the district police said that preparations to ensure peace during the protest on Friday had been made.
Police personnel would be deployed in all industrial zones starting from the morning, said the spokesperson.