Bharat Bandh political, aimed at derailing labour reforms, says official

"Most of these (10) unions are affiliated to opposition," said official.

The trade unions, which recently called Bharat Bandh, are not interested in discussions with the government on labour codes and the strike call was political, a government official said on July 11.

Two days ago 10 trade unions called a nation-wide strike to protest against the four central labour codes. Of these 10 unions, eight have political affiliations, the official said on condition of anonymity.

"These unions don’t have any interest in holding discussion with the labour ministry. They only want to speak against the labour codes but have no concrete action plan with respect to labour reforms," the official said.

"Most of these (10) unions are affiliated to opposition… they have an anti-development agenda."

The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) were among those who participate in the strike.

The AITUC is affiliated with the Communist Party of India (CPI), INTUC with the Congress. CITU is associated with CPI(M) and AIUTUC is the labour wing of Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist).

TUCC is politically attached to the All India Forward Bloc and AICCTU is the trade union wing of CPI(ML). LPF is affiliated with the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu and UTUC to the Revolutionary Socialist Party.

Another official said  wondered why the workers demonstrated against the Centre when most of the states had already implemented several reforms linked to the four central labour codes.

More than 20 unions didn’t participate in the strikes, which includes the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) that is affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, the ideological parent of the BJP.

The striking unions said the code on social security; occupational safety, health and working conditions code, industrial relations code and code on wages were meant to "suppress and cripple the trade union movement”. They were aimed at “increase working hours, snatch workers’ right to collective bargaining, right to strike, and decriminalise violation of labour laws by employers", they said