Buses, taxis, autorickshaws off roads today to oppose Road Safety Bill
Hyderabad/New delhi: Autorickshaws, DCMs, taxis and even school vans will remain off roads on Wednesday in support of the strike in opposition of the proposed Road Safety Bill 2015.
The transport strike is expected to be absolute with the RTC employees union lending support to the nationwide strike called by as many as 10 Central trade unions to oppose the government’s move to reform labour laws.
Even trade unions are extending support to the transport strike, which is likely to be absolute in both Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh.
Various unions are opposing the proposed increase in penalties (up to 100 times) in the Bill and have decided to support the strike call given across the country. This is the second nationwide strike since April this year.
RTC officials, however, expect at least 30 percent of bus services to be operational. “If the proposed Bill is passed by Parliament, it will be a major blow to all road users. All auto unions will be on a one-day strike to oppose the bill,” said Auto Union JAC member, Mr A. Sathi Reddy.
Also, RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has backed out, as many as 10 Central trade unions are to join hands in a one-day strike on Wednesday called to oppose the government’s move to reform labour laws.
The 10 unions claim a membership of 15 crore workers across the country. There is a likelihood of essential services being affected on Wednesday.
The BMS, which has opted out, told the media that PSU firms and the energy and transport sectors would not be impacted.
The operations of banks and insurance companies are likely to be affected, though. On August 26, representatives of the unions had met Central ministers after which the BMS opted out of the strike but 10 others stayed on course.
BMS general secretary Virjesh Upadhyay told reporters that the unions pressing for a strike on Wednesday have been pressured by their parent political parties.
“Their state units have claimed that their parent bodies did not keep them posted of the government’s measures in the coming days to address their demands. The central unions are going ahead with the strike because of political pressure,” he claimed.
As many as 12 central trade unions had given a strike call over a 12-point charter of demands, including withdrawal of proposed anti-worker amendments to labour laws and
stopping the disinvestment and privatisation of PSUs.
The BMS added that the government needed to be given time to fulfil its promises on the basic demands. The National Front of Indian Trade Unions will also stay out.
