Workers engaged in sectors ranging from banking, insurance, postal to coal mining, highway and construction are expected to go on a nationwide general strike on Wed

PTI New Delhi

More than 25 crore workers engaged in sectors ranging from banking, insurance, postal to coal mining, highway and construction are expected to go on a nationwide general strike on Wednesday, potentially disrupting services across the country. A forum of 10 central trade unions and their associates have called for a general strike or 'Bharat Bandh' to "oppose the anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national pro-corporate policies of the government".

In a statement, the forum has called for making "the nationwide general strike a grand success", and said preparations have been taken up in earnest by unions in all sectors of formal and informal/unorganised economy. "More than 25 crore workers are expected to take part in the strike. Farmers and rural workers will also join the protest across the country," said Amarjeet Kaur from All India Trade Union Congress.

Harbhajan Singh Sidhu from Hind Mazdoor Sabha said that banking, postal, coal mining, factories, state transport services will be affected due to the strike. The forum had last year submitted a charter of 17-point demand to Labour Minister Mansukh Mandavia, the workers' union forum said in its latest statement. Trade unions had earlier observed similar nationwide strikes on November 26, 2020, on March 28-29, 2022, and on February 16 last year.