Thiruvananthapuram: Faced with rising public resentment against the frequent shutdowns in the state, the trade unions have promised that the national strike on January 8 and 9 will not be turned into a hartal. No shops will be forcibly closed, said CITU state president Anathalava-ttom Anandan, AITUC general secretary K.P. Rajendran and INTUC state general secretary V.J. Thomas here on Saturday.
Private vehicles will not be stopped, they said and requested the owners to take them out only in case of emergency and cooperate with the strike. They have also urged the public to avoid train travel as services may be disrupted due to blockades organised in different parts, they said.
Tourists, Sabarimala vehicles and essential services have been exempted from the strike.
Mr S.S. Manoj, district president, Vypari-Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi, said the traders would open the shops as the trade unions had promised not to forcibly shut shops.
Employees in major sectors, including the railways, banks and electricity departments and in the unorganised sector, including street vendors and auto and taxi drivers, will take part in the strike. While over 13 to 14 crore workers had participated in the two-day national strike in 2013, this year the number will increase. The employees of state and central governments, along with those in various other sectors will join the strike jointly organised by ten major trade unions, including the AITUC, CITU, INTUC, SEWA and HMS, to protest against the anti-worker and anti-trade union policies of the Narendra Modi government, they said. The government had also failed to fulfil the promise of creating over one crore jobs a year, they added.
They also flayed the government’s failure to protect the small-scale industries, which resulted in the shutting down of two lakh units. The rising prices of essential commodities and the adverse impact of GST were other reasons for the strike.
KOZHIKODE: The leaders of ten trade unions told reporters here that the strike will not be forced on anyone.
CITU leader Elamaram Karim said that the public transport system may be affected as the railway and KSRTC workers will be on strike. The activists have been asked not to indulge in violence, he said.
THRISSUR: The trade union leaders said here that there will not be any confrontation with the shopkeepers who open their shops on the strike days. “It is not a hartal, but the transport sector may be affected. The strike is to highlight the sufferings of the people, especially the traders after demonetisation and the introduction of GST,” CITU district secretary U.P. Joseph said.
