All India General Strike to Send Strong Message Against Anti-Labour, Anti-Farmer Policies

Thiruvananthapuram: The nationwide general strike scheduled for July 9 will serve as a forceful warning from India’s working class, reaffirming that hard-earned labour rights will not be surrendered. The 24-hour strike, beginning at midnight on July 8, has been jointly called by central trade unions and employees’ federations in protest against the Centre’s anti-labour and anti-farmer policies.

In Kerala, protest gatherings and marches will be organised in front of Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram and at central government offices across district centres.

The protest march in the capital will start from Museum Junction and culminate in front of Raj Bhavan. It will be inaugurated at 10 am by CITU State General Secretary Elamaram Kareem.

A wide spectrum of organisations will participate in the strike, including CITU, INTUC, AITUC, LPF, UTUC, HMS, SEWA, TUCI, NLC, TUCC, JLU, NLU, KTUCS, KTUC(M), INLC, NTUI, and HMKP. Farmers, agricultural workers, government employees (both central and state), teachers, public sector staff, and employees from the banking and insurance sectors are also expected to take part.

The primary demands include the withdrawal of the new labour codes, urgent steps to control price rise, an end to the privatisation of public sector undertakings, formal recognition of scheme workers, a minimum monthly wage of 26,000 rupees, and a pension of 9,000 rupees.