(The following is the report published by the CITU(Centre Of Indian Trade Unions) on the grand success of the historic general strike in India on 28th February 2012 against the anti worker, anti people liberalisation-privatisation-globalisation policies)
The countrywide General Strike on 28th February 2012 will
be recorded as a milestone in the history of the trade union movement in the
country. The working class of the country responded magnificently to the call
for the General Strike given by all the eleven central trade unions and all
India industrial federations in almost all the sectors of the economy. For the
first time in the history of our trade union movement, INTUC and BMS both
joined the other central trade unions and industrial federations to give the
call for an all India General Strike. This unprecedented unity evoked massive
response from the workers. As per initial estimates, more than ten crore
workers all over the country - from Jammu & Kashmir in the north to Tamil
Nadu in the south, from Assam in the east to Gujarat in the west participated
in the strike opposing the anti worker and anti people policies of the
government.
This General
Strike, the fourteenth after the advent of the neoliberal economic policies in
our country is significant because of the unprecedented unity of all the
central trade unions and the demands raised by them that reflected the concerns
not only of the workers but also of all sections of the toiling people.
Besides, joint campaigns at the state and lower levels were also conducted this
time on a wider scale. The joint campaign undertaken by the central leadership
of the trade unions inspired many independent and state level trade unions to
join the strike. Thus the 28th February strike will be etched in the annals of
our trade union movement as the biggest ever strike action by the working class
till date.
The major demands
included concrete measures to curb price rise and provide some relief to the
people, effective implementation of all labour laws and stringent punishment to
those who flout them, universal social security for all unorganised workers by
creating a National Social Security Fund with adequate financial allocations,
stopping contractual labour in permanent jobs and equal wages and benefits to
the contract workers as the permanent workers of the establishment, universal
coverage by minimum wages Act and statutory minimum wage of not less than Rs
10000, pension for all, removal of all ceiling on eligibility for bonus,
provident fund etc, and compulsory registration of the trade unions within a
time frame of 45 days.
The expectations of
the ruling classes that the defeat of the Left Front in West Bengal and the
threats of the present chief minister to instil terror among the workers in the
state would dampen the strike were totally belied by the workers of West Bengal
who participated in the strike in a big way, facing brutal repression and
ignoring all threats and intimidation. The impact of the strike was such that
the corporate media, which usually chooses to ignore such actions by the
working class, was forced to report about it and highlight the fact that West
Bengal along with Kerala was the worst hit by the strike.
However, not only
in West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura but in several other states like Assam,
Manipur, most parts of Karnataka, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh etc a
bandh like situation prevailed with public transport coming to a grinding halt
and shops and markets being completely closed. In many places in West Bengal,
police resorted to brutal lathi charge and arrests. Workers peacefully
demonstrating in Srinagar in J&K, Bhiwani in Haryana and Guwahati and
Numaligarh in Assam were beaten up and arrested by the police. In addition, the
striking workers in West Bengal were physically assaulted and injured by the
hoodlums let loose by the ruling party to break the strike. Normal activities
in many of the industrial areas in the national capital Delhi and the National
Capital Region of Faridabad and Gurgaon were hit due to the massive strike
action by the workers.
The CITU
congratulated the working class of the country for the massive response to the
strike all over the country and across the sectors. CITU saluted the heroic
resistance by the striking workers to threats and intimidating tactics of the
state government and the hoodlums of the ruling party to break the strike in
West Bengal and extended all solidarity to them.
The strike
encompassed workers and employees from almost all the sectors including the
strategic sectors as well as the unorganised sector, as the following reports
indicate.
* Strike was almost total in the entire financial sector in the country
including banks and insurance involving around 20 lakh workers and employees.
* All the central public sector units and major industrial units in the
private sector in Bangalore and Mysore were completely paralysed
* Strike was total in all the ports in the country; even in Haldia port, in
West Bengal which witnessed the terror unleashed by the ruling party in the
state, the strike had visible impact
* Around 6 million state government employees, teachers, employees of state
public sector units, boards and corporations covering almost all the states
except a few, participated in the strike; even in West Bengal where the
government issued threats of break in service and other measures of
victimisation for participating in strike, the state government employees
responded in a magnificent way.
* More than 2000 workers including CITU leaders Manik Sanyal and Zia ul Alam
were arrested.
* Central government employees all over the country participated in the
strike in a big way; in the defence production sector, participation in the
strike was around 80%
* In the Major Defence PSUs viz., BEL and HAL, strike was almost total in all
the units throughout the country. Workers in four plants of BHEL in Trichy,
Ranipet and Bangalore were on total strike.
* Majority of the 6 lakhs coal mine workers in nine companies – ECL, BCCL,
CCL, SECL, NCL, CMPDIL etc joined the strike; strike was partial in Singareni
Collieries; strike was near total in the non coal mining belt spread over
Jharkhand, Odisha, Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh
* More than 70% of the telecom workers and employees in BSNL participated in
the strike
* The strike in the petroleum sector- in the upstream, refineries and
marketing, was total in the eastern, north eastern and southern parts of the
country while more than 70% workers in this sector in the western and northern
India participated in the strike
* In the steel industry, contract workers in eight steel plants participated
in the strike en masse; 90% of regular workers in Vizag steel plant, 85% of
them in Salem steel plant, and 70% of Alloy steel plant workers in Durgapur
participated in the strike. In Durgapur steel plant and IISCO strike was 50%
and in Rourkela steel plant it was 40%; strike among regular workers in Bokaro
and Bhilai steel plants was however partial.
* The participation of transport workers, particularly of the state road
transport corporations in the strike was massive in many states, like Jammu and
Kashmir, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Chandigarh, etc completely paralysing the
public transport; in several states private transport workers too responded to
the strike magnificently
* Electricity workers including the contract workers and daily wage workers
participated in the strike in large numbers in many states
* Plantation workers in West Bengal, Tripura and Kerala participated in the
strike en masse; in Tamil Nadu, Assam and Karnataka too strike was massive
among the plantation workers
* In all the states the unorganised sector workers in brick kiln,
construction, head load workers, loading and unloading workers, beedi workers,
mandi workers, auto rickshaw drivers, etc participated in the strike in a
massive way and also in the rallies, demonstrations, rail and rasta rokos in
huge numbers.
* Strike was total among the construction workers in the organised sector
including in all the Hydel projects in Himachal Pradesh
* Around 15 lakhs anganwadi employees and lakhs of ASHAs and mid day meal
workers participated in the strike; in several states they held demonstrations
and burnt the effigies of the government
* Overwhelming majority of the 1.5 lakhs medical and sales representatives
all over the country joined the strike
* Lakhs of fishers and fisheries workers all over the country joined the
strike
The massive participation
of workers of all affiliations and irrespective of any affiliations in the
strike indicates their anger and resentment at the attacks on their working and
living conditions and the determination to resist them. This was also reflected
in the wide support the strike received from the common people. While the Left
parties firmly supported the strike, in some states some local political
parties also extended their support. The reports received from different states
illustrate the area and the spread of the strike.
Some state wise
details of the strike, in addition to the impact on the banking and insurance
sectors, and state and central government offices, which were severely affected
all over the country, are given below:
Andhra Pradesh
A highly successful
strike was observed all over the state, its impact visible even at the mandal
level. Workers in 1072 mandals and 138 municipal towns in all the 23 districts
in the state participated in the strike. The strike in most of the public
sector units in Vizag and Hyderabad was total. It was total in Vizag Steel,
Shipyard, BSNL, ECIL, BEL, HCL, and BHEL (R&D). In Singareni Collieries 80%
contract workers and 20% permanent workers went on strike. It was significant
that the strike was total in the SEZs in Visakhapatnam and in the Apachi SEZ in
Kadapa where thousands of workers in Brandix and other units participated. 240
workers were arrested and non bailable cases were foisted on them in Kadapa.
While all the contract workers in HPCL and Defence participated in the strike,
participation of permanent workers was 50% in HPCL and 75% in Defence. In BHPV
75% of employees went on strike. In Hyderabad 1800 units in private sector with
more than 2 lakhs workers were closed; in Srikakulam strike was 100% in
Aurobindo Pharma and workers in 16 private industrial units went on strike.
Auto rickshaw drivers in 120 stands in Hyderabad were off the roads. Private
transport in several major cities like Visakhapatnam, Adilabad etc went off the
road. Hundreds of railway workers demonstrated in support of the strike in
Visakhapatnam and some other cities. Strike was also massive in the industrial
areas in Medak and Ranga Reddy districts. 11 workers were arrested in Medak.
Strike was 100% among the anganwadi employees, mid day meal workers, ASHAs,
etc; lakhs of beedi workers, construction workers, loading and unloading
workers, shop employees, small vendors etc participated in the strike and in
the demonstrations that were held at the mandal level. As per initial reports
around 414709 workers participated in the demonstrations.
Assam
The strike resulted
in a virtual ‘bandh’ like situation in the state. Road transport, both private
and public, was totally off the road. In Oil India, Numaligarh refineries, Coal
India, Powergrid Corporation, the strike was almost total; it was partial among
the regular workers in BRPL and Digboi while all the contract workers were on
strike. It was highly successful in the paper mills. The tea plantations, the
major industry of the state, witnessed unprecedented massive strike due to the
joint initiative of CITU and INTUC. The strike was also massive in BSNL,
postal, defence and other central government establishments. However, it was
partial among the state government employees.
More than 2000
workers were arrested throughout the state including Asit Dutta and Tapan
Sharma president and secretary of Assam state committee of CITU and Ananta
Deka, MLA.
Bihar
Most of the
industrial units in Hazipur, Patna, Begusarai remained closed due to the
strike. Auto rickshaws remained off the road in Patna, Bhagalpur and
Muzaffarpur. Beedi workers in Jamui participated in the strike; Jute mills in
Samastipur were paralysed. Unorganised workers joined the strike in all the
districts and participated in massive rallies
Chattisgarh
Strike was
successful in the coal mines and other industries in the states. In Rajhara and
Nandini Iron ore mines, strike was 100%. State Govt Power Plant at Korba and
also the Power Plants of LANKO and BCCP in the adjoining area were closed due to
strike. A most successful strike was witnessed in BALCO. In the 2nd shift, the
striking workers were attacked by the security guards and local goons injuring
many workers; three workers including President of CITU union in BALCO were
severely injured and hospitalised. 15 workers including Lalji Kurre, the
president of the BALCO workers’ union were injured. Strike among Beedi workers,
Anganwadi workers, head-load workers in mandis and construction workers
throughout the state was almost total.
Delhi
Workers in most of
the industrial areas in the capital struck work and took out massive joint
processions and demonstrations voicing the demands. Rasta roko was held in
several places. In some industrial areas, the employers themselves closed the
units for the day in view of the strike. Wazirpur industrial area in North
Delhi was totally shut down, while most of the factories in Jahangirpuri, GT
Karnal Road and Bhorgarh in the same area were closed with thousands of workers
joining the processions. Half of all the factories in Okhla Phase I industrial
area in South Delhi were closed due to the strike; around 10000 workers marched
on the streets; the street vendors also participated in the strike. Around 200
factories in Mayapuri industrial area in South West Delhi were closed; workers
conducted rasta roko blocking traffic for around one hour and burnt the effigy
of the government. In the Mongolpuri Phase I and Phase II industrial areas in
North West Delhi, workers went on strike and around 7000 participated in the procession.
Udyog nagar was closed. 4000 workers joined the demonstrations in Kirti nagar
industrial area. The loading and unloading workers in several markets joined
the strike. Strike was total in Jal Board. Medial and sales representatives
were on strike. The airport cargo workers went on strike for 2 hours. Anganwadi
employees also participated in the strike and demonstrations.
Gujarat
In Gujarat, for the
first time, more than 5 lakhs workers participated in the strike. Big
processions and demonstrations were held in many cities and district
headquarters. The strike was total in Kandla and Bhavnagar ports; it was 60% in
the Naulaki port; around 20000 loading and unloading workers participated in
the strike. Medical representatives, beedi workers, hawkers, auto rickshaw
drivers, in their thousands joined the strike. Strike was total among the 92000
anganwadi employees in the state; they participated in large numbers in the
joint trade union demonstrations, in 4-5 districts outnumbering the other
sections of workers. Around 15000 ASHAs too joined the strike. 70% of workers
of Ahmedabad bus service participated in the strike while the state road
transport workers and postal employees withdrew the strike. Strike was total in
Baroda engineering, chemical, Makerpura GIDC and Nandesari GIDC; industrial
workers, mostly in the engineering, foundries, ceramics, plastics etc in
Junagarh, Rajkot, Bharuch, Surendranagar, Ahmedabad, Vallabh Vidya nagar joined
the strike, as also the municipal corporation workers in Bhavnagar. The power
loom workers and a section of diamond workers and the chemical workers in Surat
also participated in the strike. Around 50000 workers participated in the
demonstrations held in different places in the state.
Haryana
The strike was
total in Haryana Roadways, tourism, non teaching staff of universities,
educational board and municipal corporations all over the state; effective
strike was observed in the health, PWD and power sectors; workers affiliated to
CITU, HMS, BMS and other unions in the industrial area of Faridabad went on
strike; many workers not affiliated to any union also joined the strike. The
national highway was blocked for one hour. Demonstrations were held by CITU in
all the district headquarters and at the division level also; in Panipat,
around 2000 participated in rasta roko for 1 hour and rail roko for 30 minutes;
in Jind and Narwana around 1100 and 1400 workers conducted rasta roko; in
Bhiwani around 160 workers were arrested; police also resorted to lathi charge;
Around 30000
workers in dozens of units in Gurgaon went on strike; RDC, Xerox India, Hema
engineering, Suzuki motorcycles, IMT Manesar, Munjal Soha, Satyam Auto, Hylex,
Lumex, MESL, IFB, GKN, Rico Auto and several other units participated in the
strike; anganwadi employees, ASHAs, mid day meal workers, village chowkidars,
sweepers, forest workers, construction workers etc in the unorganised sector
also participated in the strike in large numbers. Himachal Pradesh
Strike was total in
all the Hydel power plants in the state. It was also observed all over the
state by the anganwadi employees and mid day meal workers; hotel workers and
construction workers also joined the strike. In the industrial areas in Solan,
Parawanoo and Una districts industrial workers joined the strike action in a
big way.
Jammu and Kashmir
There was a
complete strike in the central PSUs like NHPC, Power Grid, etc and in state
PSUs like SRTC, JK Minerals, Kalakot Mines and Baglihar Hydle Project. Besides,
construction workers, Four Lane Road and Tunnel Workers, Sangaldan Railway
Project workers, ASHAs, anganwadi employees, railway loading and unloading
workers, medical sales and representatives, daily wagers of PDD were on strike
in Jammu Region.
For the first time
a joint demonstration of workers led by CITU, AITUC, BMS and INTUC was held in
Jammu in which around 3000 – 4000 workers participated. In the Kashmir valley
too there was complete strike in the central and state public sector
undertakings including NHPC. ASHAs and anganwadi employees also participated in
the strike. A rally was organised by CITU in Sher e Kashmir Park in Srinagar in
which around 2000 workers from different unions participated. Police resorted
to brutal lathi charge and used tear gas shells on the workers when they tried
to march towards the Divisional Commissioner’s office after the public meeting.
The workers including anganwadi employees and ASHAs put up stiff resistance
against the highhandedness of the police force. Dozens of workers including
Abdul Rashid Najar, secretary of J&K state committee of CITU were injured;
2 workers became unconscious; more than 20 were arrested
Jharkhand
The strike was
successful in the state; 80% of coal workers including the contract workers in
all the coal companies in the state - CCL, BCCL, ECL, CMPDI and IICM
participated in the strike; around 1.5 lakh coal workers in the coal fields in
Dhanbad, Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Ramgarh, Latehar, Bokaro, Godda and Deogarh
districts participated in the strike; strike was total among state government,
postal, BSNL, telecom, central water board, GSI, Income Tax and other central
government employees; 90% of electricity employees were on strike; it was 100%
in Mython thermal power plant; contract and casual workers of DVC joined the
strike; around 1 lakh beedi workers and 15000 stone quarry workers in Sahebganj
and Pakur districts of Santal Paragana; strike was total in state transport; in
private transport strike was effective in Dumka, Pakur and Sahebganj while it
was partial in Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, and Jamshedpur; loading and unloading
workers of MGR working for NTPC were totally on strike; more than 5 lakh
construction workers went on strike; workers of 800 small industrial units in
Adityapur industrial area of Saraikela - Kharsanwa participated in the strike
and conducted a dharna; 300 workers were arrested; strike was total in
Hindusthan Copper Limited, in Barud factory; more than 5000 medical
representatives participated in the strike; in IFICO sales wing around 80% were
on strike; work in mines came to a total halt; rice mills in Dalbhumgarh and
Chukulia were closed; strike was observed in the engineering units in Dhanbad
and Ramgarh districts; 20% regular workers and 80% contract workers in Bokaro
steel went on strike; in HEC in Hatia in Ranchi around 30% workers including
contract workers participated in strike; anganwadi employees went on strike and
around 1500 held demonstration in Godda; however strike had no impact on Tata
industrial area except for a few contract workers; a massive rally was
organised in Ranchi by CITU and courted arrest; several CITU leaders including
the president and general secretary of the state committee, Sudhir Das and DD
Ramanandan were arrested.
Karnataka
The strike call
evoked spontaneous response from the workers in different sectors in the state.
In many districts, a complete bandh like situation prevailed with markets
closed, transport paralysed and streets deserted. It was reported that in
around 41 taluks out of the total 175 there was total bandh while in another
15, there was partial bandh.
Strike was total in
the public sector enterprises of BEL, BHEL, HAL, ITI, BEML and Hatti Gold
mines, with the contract workers participating in their full strength. Strike
was also total in the private sector – in Bosch, Volvo, Toyota, Federal Mogul,
Kennametal, L&T, ITC, WIPRO, Coca Cola, Pepsicola, Vikrant, Harihara
Polyfibres, Kirloskar Electricals, Rajashree Cements, INDALCO, Jindal and other
big industries.
In Bangalore the
industrial strike was total and all the industries closed their operations.
Auto drivers also kept away from roads and participated in the strike.
Thousands of workers took out protest marches in all industrial areas and
blocked highways. The workers took a largest protest march in the central part
of the City and blocked road for more than 4 hours at KG Road in Bangalore.
Road block was also organised in Mysore.
Anganwadi employees
in 98 taluks participated in the strike; around 300 – 900 anganwadi employees
joined the demonstrations in each of these taluks. Mid day meal workers, auto
rickshaw drivers, head load workers, beedi, gram panchayat and construction
workers etc all over the state joined the strike and participated in large
numbers in the protest actions.
The Pre University
examinations scheduled on 28th February have been postponed. Several Colleges
and Schools in the limits of 23 districts were closed down on the call of
Students Federation of India in support of workers strike.
Kerala
The strike is total
in the state. 18 trade unions including all the central trade unions and
several local trade unions like STU, KTUC participated in the strike. Workers
in the two industrial centres of Kerala viz. Kochi and Alwaye in Ernakuklam
district and Kanchikode in Palakkad district participated in the strike
totally. Strike in the Kochi port was almost total. The industries under the
state and central public sector as well as private sector did not function.
As per preliminary
assessment, a total of 75 lakh workers struck work in the state. Shops were
closed even in the remotest villages. Vehicular traffic was almost absent.
Motor transport workers totally took part in the strike. Unorganised sector
workers totally participated in the strike. Agriculture workers, Plantation
workers, cashew workers, fisheries workers, coir workers, construction workers,
artisans, hand loom, khadi, beedi workers etc. went on strike. Strike in the
electricity sector and BSNL was total.
State government
employees totally struck work ignoring the dais non declared by the state
government. Joint rallies were organised all over the state in district head
quarters, industrial centres and panchayat head quarters and towns. Thousands
of workers participated in rallies.
Madhya Pradesh
The impact of
strike was widely felt in the state. In Gwalior, there was a total bandh and
workers and other sections of working people resorted to rail roko. Strike was
total in BSNL and Defence industry. Medical representatives all over the state
joined the strike and held demonstratins. The functioning of the state and
central government offices was badly affected due to the strike. In coal
industry, the strike was near complete in different areas of WCL; it was 95% in
Pathkhera, 75% in Pench kanhan, 60% in SECL’s Kotama, 40% in Hasdev and Pali
40. However, in BHEL in Bhopal, only 20 – 25% permanent workers participated in
the strike. All the contract workers in NFL, Guna, in Sanjay Gandhi Power House
in Pali participated in the strike.
It was total among
the anganwadi employees, ASHAs and USHAs, while 80% loading and unloading
workers in the mandis participated in the strike. Industrial workers held
massive demonstrations and rallies in the different places in the state. In all
the district headquarters big joint rallies and demonstrations were organised.
Maharashtra
The working class
of Maharashtra joined the all India strike in a big way. It is estimated that
more than 20 lakh workers from the organised and unorganised sectors
participated in the strike. Mumbai and JNPT Ports were paralysed. Massive
strike was reported from industrial areas of Mumbai, Pune, Solapur, Thane,
Nasik, Ichhalkaranji, Nagpur and other areas. Strike in HAL, Nasik was total.
All the 35 district head quarters witnessed big processions of striking workers
and employees. A huge rally was held at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. Bharatiya Kamgar
Maha Sangh also joined the strike.
Manipur
Strike was
effective in the state with the attendance in state government offices being
badly affected; central government offices like post offices, BSNL, telecom and
telegraph offices, AG office and insurance offices were closed; passenger
vehicles, petrol tankers, goods trucks etc were off the road; shops and markets
in Imphal and other towns in the state were closed; educational institutions,
both government and private were also closed
Odisha
There was bandh
like situation in the state on 28th February. Transport came to a complete
halt; auto rickshaws did not ply and shops were closed. In Rourkela steel plant
around 40% regular workers and 100% contract workers participated in the
strike. Adhunik Metalics, OCL Steel, Iron ore mines and sponge iron factories
and other industrial units in Sundergarh district were completely closed. Small
scale units were also totally closed. Mines and industries in and around Badbil
could not function. Work in Paradeep port and other industries in Paradeep came
to a standstill due to the strike. The headquarters of Mahanadi coalmines was
closed.
Contract workers in
NTPC in Talcher thermal plant totally joined the strike. In NALCO in Angul and
Damanjodi, the strike was partial; the regular workers held dharna near the
factory gates while the contract workers joined the strike. Workers in the
industrial estates of Balasore, Bhadrak, Sambalpur, Khurda, and Jajpur Road
joined the strike paralysing production.
Thirty thousand
auto drivers along with the state road transport workers joined the strike
totally paralysing public transport. Train services were disrupted by the
picketing by the workers in all the major railway stations in the state.
Anganwadi employees, ASHAs and mid day meal workers participated in the strike
almost totally. More than 1 lakh workers all over the state participated in the
rallies and demonstrations. Around 1000 including Bishnu Mohanty were arrested
and detained in Rourkela.
Punjab
The strike evoked
massive response from the working class in Punjab and Chandigarh. Around 80000
industrial workers in Ludhiana, Bathinda, Sangrur, Nawahshahr, Ropar,
Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Rajkot, Patiala, Derabassi, Mohali, Batala, Malekotla,
Ahmedgarh, Mandigobindpur, Jagraon, Rajpura, Patran etc in around 120 big and
medium and around 400 small scale industrial units participated in the strike.
Thousands of brick
kiln workers, anganwadi employees, ASHAs, mid day meal workers, forest workers,
workers of Food Corporation of India, construction workers, private transport
workers, loading and unloading workers, state transport corporation workers,
medical representatives went on strike. Around 8000 Punjab Roadways workers
observed strike for two hours and held rallies and demonstrations near the bus
depots. 65% of the electricity workers in Punjab and around 70% in Chandigarh
joined the strike. Strike was total in the defence sector, 70% in BSNL. Rallies
and demonstrations were held in 110 places; road blocks in 50 places. In many
places where no joint trade union rally was held anganwadi employees organised
rallies on their own.
Rajasthan
Rajasthan was one
of the states where the strike had a big and visible impact. All the offices of
central government in the state were closed due to the strike; no bus of state
transport plied; all the 48 state road transport corporation depots were
closed; autos were off the street; in Jodhpur, the entire public transport was
affected. 85% of the textile units in the Bhilwara industrial hub were closed;
auto rickshaws were off the road in Sikar, Hanumangarh, Jhunjhunu and Sri Ganga
nagar. Factories and industrial establishments in Bhilwara, Rajsamund, Jodhpur,
Kota, Sri Ganganagar, Jaipur, and Khetri etc were closed due to the strike; big
industrial establishments like J& K Tyres, NBC Bearings, Anil Steel,
Hindusthan Zinc, Khetri Copper etc were totally closed. Strike was total in
Atomic Power Plant in Rawatbhata. State government employees and teachers took
mass casual leave.
Tamil Nadu
Strike was massive
in the state. The strike was total in banks, insurance, BSNL, state and central
government offices, district collectorates, block development offices, income
tax offices, and medical department in the entire state. Participation was impressive
in the units of state public sector units in electricity, transport, civil
supplies, Tamil Nadu Minerals, Poompuhar shipping, Tamil Nadu Magnesite, Dalmia
Magnesite, TWAD Board. Strike was total at BHEL Ranipet, IOC, Chennai Port, New
and Old Ports at Tuticorin. 90% participation was reported at BHEL Trichy, SAIL
Salem, Defence units at Avadi. It was near total in the manufacturing units in
and around Chennai which include TVS Group, Simpson, Ashok Leyland, MRF,
Eveready, TI Group, Audco Valves, Rane Engine Valves, Rane Motors, L & T,
Corborandum, Ennore Foundry, Areva, KCP, Kaparo, Asian Paints, SSL-TTK, HM
Lancer, Indian Furniture, TCL, Bharat Aluminium, etc. Strike was 100% in BHEL,
Ranipet. Workers of Mettur Power plant, state transport, electricity,
cooperatives, road transport, sanitary workers in the local bodies etc went on
strike all over the state.
The participation
of the workers as well as some of the employers in the small and tiny
industries was noteworthy. Coimbatore witnessed a bandh like situation with
almost all textiles and industrial units being shut. Autos did not ply. More
than 50% of the traders also participated in the call by closing down their
shutters. More than three lakh workers have reportedly participated in the
district. In Tiruppur, around five lakh workers belonging to hosiery industry,
power loom, and metal utensil manufacturing industry have effectively responded
to the call. More than 2000 hosiery and their subsidiary units remained closed.
In Hosur, strike was total in the strategic automobile industry including the
main manufacturing units of TVS and Leyland. In Dindigul strike was total in
more than 50 tanneries; 60% of autos did not ply. Strike was total in Suzlon
industry in Puducherry, where a rasta roko was also held.
Lakhs of workers in
the unorganised sector – the plantation workers in Salem, Nilgiris, Dindigul
and other districts, beedi workers in Tirunelveli and Vellore, the salt pan
workers including the government salt pan workers in Tuticorin, construction
workers, loading and unloading workers, auto drivers, small vendors, tailoring
workers, road transport workers, hand loom workers, anganwadi employees, etc -
all over the state participated in large numbers in the strike and the
demonstrations.
Around one lakh
workers participated in the demonstrations held all over the state on the
occasion.
Tripura
Strike was total in
all sectors in the state resulting in a bandh like situation. Transport was
completely paralysed. Workers in different sectors like plantation,
electricity, construction, beedi, anganwadi employees, mid day meal workers,
ASHAs etc went on strike and held massive demonstrations.
Uttar Pradesh
Despite the ongoing
elections to the state assembly, the 28th February strike evoked good response
from the employees and workers in the state. All the offices of public sector
banks and insurance companies remained closed. Medical and sales
representatives were on strike. The employees of Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL)
expressed their anger by wearing black badges. The glass bangle workers in
Firozabad were on strike and participated in a big rally along with construction
workers, hotel workers and bank and insurance employees.
West Bengal
The 28th February
strike was highly successful in the state despite the severe repression let
loose by the administration and the hooligans of the ruling party in the state
with the chief minister herself issuing threats of victimisation and
suppression.
90% of the tea
garden workers in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and North Dinajpur participated in the
strike; the Adivasi Vikas Parishad also joined the strike. In Jute industry,
strike was 85%; in coal 82%; in steel it was 65%. Hosiery industry witnessed
total strike. Except very few, all the engineering units in Hooghly, Howrah,
North and South 24 Paraganas and Kolkata were closed. Significantly 85% IT
sector workers in Salt Lake participated in the strike. All the workers and
employees of state electricity board, CESC, DVC, NTPC and Power Grid went on
strike, except for emergency duties. The electricity consumption was 600
megawatt less than on an ordinary working day.
Transport service was
severely affected due to the strike. The train services were irregular; the
local trains were deserted; the few taxis that ran in the morning went off the
roads by the afternoon; 80% auto rickshaws were off the road. Private bus
operators were threatened to run the buses but there were very few passengers.
In different districts, NBSTC, SBSTC, Surface transport authorities failed to
run the buses; people did not board the buses that were forcibly put into
service. The launch services were totally stopped. Unorganised workers
participated in the strike in a massive way. Except in a few towns, where the
workers were threatened by the TMC hooligans, municipal workers all over the
state participated in the strike. Most of the establishments in the Bantala leather
complex were closed. Workers of IOC, ONGC, BPCL, HPCL participated in the
strike; Budge Budge terminal was closed. Around 50% of the workers in the
Haldia industrial area took part in the strike, despite the threat by the TMC.
90% of BSNL employees and 75% of Defence employees were on strike.
More than 2000
leaders and workers including Manik Sanyal and Zia ul Alam, leaders of the
plantation workers and working committee members of CITU were arrested. Police
resorted to severe lathi charge and arrests in many places. Srikumar Mukherjee,
former minister and leader of IOC union, journalists of Star Anand and 24
Ghanta were attacked. In West Midnapore, anganwadi employees and school
teachers were threatened of dire consequences. In Uttarpara, insurance employees
and officers were physically assaulted.
Reports of strike
by workers of some industrial units and establishments were received from
Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. In Goa also port workers and workers of some
industrial units joined the strike. In Port Blair of Andaman & Nicobar
Islands, Govt employees took staged day-long mass dharna in support of the
General Strike.
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