India : Workers from all sectors strike work in Rajamahendravaram
The general strike called by various trade unions in the country on Friday was successful in the city.
Industrial workers, hamalies, building, transport, gas delivery boys, employees from public sector
units like LIC, BSNL, postal and banking sectors and RTC workers took part in the strike. A huge rally was taken out from Pal’s Chowk at Kotipalli bus stand to Kotagummam centre.
CITU district vice-president BB Naidu, AITUC district president Meesala Satyannarayana, IFTU leader Ramana and INTUC leader N.V. Srinivas presided over the meeting. AITUC state vice-president Chalasani Venkata Rama Rao, CITU district secretary SS Murthy and district vice-president T Arun, city NGOs president G Hari Babu, YSRTU leader Geddam Ramana, Medical representatives’ union leader S Krishna, LIC union leader P Satish, BSNL leader Chiranjeevi, bank employees’ union leader Lakshmipathi, angawadi workers’ union leader Bhagya Lakshmi, contingent workers union leader Jhansi, CITU divisional secretary N. Ranga and mid-day meals union leaders spoke on the occasion.
The leaders said that the state and central governments were trying to take away the rights of the working class, including the right to strike.
They alleged that the governments were trying to change the 8-hour work rule and also remove the facilities like ESI, PF, gratuity and pension. They observed that labour laws were not being applied to 90 per cent of the workers and faulted the governments for attributing it to the unions. China emerged as the second largest financial power in the world by strictly implementing labour laws, they said.
Port operations disrputed
The general strike by the workers was partial and peaceful in Kakinada on Friday.
As part of the nationwide agitation demanding minimum wage fixation and other benefits to the workforce, representatives of the trade unions affiliated to the Left parties participated in the strike.
Members of different trade unions came on to the roads in the early hours of the day and obstructed the operations in the Kakinada port. Later, they went to the APSRTC bus stand and raised slogans against the Central government.
Subsequently, they took out a rally in the city and convened a public meeting at the Collectorate. Employees of banks, postal and telecom departments, insurance company officers and public sector undertakings participated in the strike, while most of the shops and establishments and cinema halls went ahead with their daily routine.
A few RTC buses too were on the roads.