One day nation wide strike on Friday by 10 central trade unions protesting against "anti-worker" changes in labour laws and the Centre's "indifference" to their demands for better wages affected people across the country.
In Telangana administration came to a grinding halt with all offices closed as employees associations extended their support to the bandh. Even Government schools,colleges and universities are not functioning. Private schools depending on situation declare holiday.
Taxis,cabs,rail and flight services will not be affected as the workers didnot serve any strike notice. Banks will be closed as both government and private sector banks joined the strike. RTC buses will be affected as the TSRTC recognised-workers’ union, Telangana Mazdoor Union has served strike notice.
All shopping malls remained closed and cinema theatres decided to cancel morning and matinee shows. Unions are demanding checking price rise through pan-India public distribution system.Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU) General Secretary Tapan Kumar Sen speaking to scribes said "The strike is on. We are getting good response. More information will pour in after sometime. Around 90 per cent workers at BHEL's plant in Tiruchirapalli have not reported at work in the morning shift,"
He revealed "Vizag steel plant is 100 per cent closed. At some places there would be instances of 'Rail Roko'. This is going to be a successful strike as more than 15 crore workers will come on streets to protest."
Union Labor minister Bandaru Dattatreya blamed UPA government for the issues of the workers and added the current government is not in a confrontation mode. He said 8 out of 12 demands of the trade unions have been agreed upon. He said eight are related to the labour department and seven of them have been agreed to.
