New Delhi, July 08. Over 25 million employees working in public service sectors such as banking, insurance, postal, and construction have called for a nationwide strike on Wednesday, July 9.
Workers in these sectors are set to go on a nationwide strike, which may disrupt several services across the country. The strike has been announced by a platform of 10 central trade unions and their allies.
Bank of Baroda stated in an exchange filing that banking services across India may be disrupted on Wednesday as major bank unions prepare to join the nationwide general strike.
The public sector bank warned in the filing that even if it attempts to maintain normal operations, the strike could impact the functioning of its branches and offices.
The strike notice was issued by the general secretaries of the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA), and Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), who informed the Indian Banks’ Association that their members would participate in the protest.
Media reports indicate that the unions calling for the strike are protesting against the government’s pro-corporate policies, recent labor law reforms, and the privatization of public sector institutions.
Workers’ primary demands include immediate government action to address unemployment. These demands involve filling vacant sanctioned positions, creating more employment opportunities, increasing MGNREGA workdays, and raising wages. The trade unions also demand an urban employment guarantee scheme similar to MGNREGA.
Workers are urging the government to address the Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme. This strike was initially scheduled for May but was postponed due to national events.
