Haryana Roadways workers will go on strike on July 9, aligning with a nationwide protest against the privatisation of public services and public sector undertakings. Unions from other government departments in Haryana have also extended their support for the strike, The Indian Express reported.
Sarbat Singh Punia, Vice-President of the All-India Road Transport Workers Federation, stated that the strike encompasses all 2,800 government-operated buses in Haryana, including Volvo services. The strike is to protest the government’s failure to meet long-pending demands.
Subhash Lamba, President of the All-India State Government Employees Federation, confirmed that employees from various departments and industrial workers will also join the strike on the same day. “Employees of various departments and workers working in the industrial sector will also be on strike on July 9 on the call of federations of central trade unions and employee unions,” The Indian Express quoted him as saying.
Why are Haryana roadway workers on strike?
One of the key issues is the delay in announcing the Eighth Pay Commission, which affects salaries and benefits for government workers. The unions are also demanding the return of the old pension scheme, the regularisation of contract workers, and the filling of thousands of vacant posts through permanent recruitment.
Lamba also criticised the four new labour codes, notified by the central government, which he described as a “document of slavery of workers”. The Centre had earlier notified four labour codes — The Code on Wages, 2019; The Industrial Relations Code, 2020; The Code on Social Security, 2020; and The OSH Code, 2020 — to replace 29 sets of labour laws.
According to the unions, these laws reduce job security, make it harder for workers to organise or strike, and could lead to longer working hours.
Bharat Bandh today
The July 9 protest is part of a broader ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by a joint platform of 10 central trade unions, with support from several farmers’ organisations. They accuse the central government of pushing ‘pro-corporate’ reforms that hurt workers, farmers, and the common people, India TV reported.
The strike is expected to have a major impact, as more than 25 crore workers from both formal and informal sectors may participate. Protests are planned in rural areas, industrial zones, and state capitals across the country. Essential services might also be disrupted due to the scale of the movement.
The unions say the government must address rising unemployment, inflation, and the growing gap between the rich and the poor, instead of weakening workers’ rights and selling public assets.
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