Why trade unions are protesting

"The ministry of labour has failed to assure on any of the demands of workers which called a meeting on January 2, 2020. The attitude of the government is that of contempt towards labour as we construe from its policies and actions," the 10 central trade unions (CTUs) said in a joint statement. About 60 organisations of students and elected office bearers of some universities have also decided to join the strike with an agenda to raise voice against increased fee structure and commercialization of education, it said. The unions also expressed displeasure over no Indian Labour Conference being held since July 2015, codification of labour laws and privatisation of PSUs. "As many as 12 airports are already sold out to private hands, 100 per cent sale of Air India is already decided, decision to sell BPCL taken, BSNL-MTNL merger announced and 93,600 telecom workers already thrown out of jobs under the garb of VRS (voluntary retirement scheme)," it added. The unions are also against privatisation in railways, corporatisation of 49 defence production units and forced merger of banks. Joint platform of more than 175 farmers and agricultural workers unions will extend its support to workers' demands and observe January 8 as Gramin Bharat Bandh along with their charter of demands, they added. How many trade unions are participating in 'Bharat Bandh' on January 8

As much as 10 trade unions are participating in 'Bharat Bandh' (general strike). and, these trade unions are INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC along with various sectoral independent federations and associations. What CPI has to say on 'Bharat Bandh'

The CPI (Communist Party of India) appealed to people to support the January 8 all-India strike and 'Gramin Bharat Bandh' called by trade unions and farmers' organisations, respectively, against the "anti-people" economic policies of the BJP-led NDA government. CPI general secretary D Raja said the strike and the bandh had been called to draw attention of the people and the government to the bad state of the economy and the agrarian crisis in the country. What trade unions said on violence by thugs at JNU campus

The trade unions condemned the JNU violence and similar incidents in other university campuses and expressed their solidarity with students and teachers all over India.

NEW DELHI: The central trade unions said that they will go on a nation-wide general strike or ' Bharat Bandh ' on January 8 "to protest against anti-labour policies" of the government."The Central Trade Unions conveyed their firm resolve after the meeting called by Union Labour Minister (on Thursday). The general strike on January 8, 2020 stands," a joint statement issued by the 10 central trade unions said.None of the issues which have been continuously raised by the central trade unions, including unemployment, minimum wages, social security and 14-point charter of demands, were addressed by the minister, it added.