Workers marched in solidarity with the nationwide strike organised by trade unions in Palakkad on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit:
K K Mustafah
Employees and workers associated with 10 Central trade unions participated in a daylong nationwide strike on Wednesday, though essential services largely remained unaffected.
The strike had a significant impact in Kerala, which experienced a total shutdown of shops, business establishments, offices, and educational institutions . There was also a partial impact in Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Puducherry, but minimal disruption was reported in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai.
The trade union forum claimed that 25 crore workers were mobilised for the general strike, protesting against the new labour codes and other issues. All India Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur confirmed the strike’s widespread initiation, receiving reports and pictures of agitation from states including West Bengal, Kerala, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar.
The Unions’ key demands include the repeal of the four labour codes, an end to contractualisation and privatisation of public sector undertakings (PSUs), an increase in the minimum wage to ₹26,000 per month, and support for farmer organisations’ demands for minimum support price for crops based on the Swaminathan commission’s formula (C2 plus 50 percent) and loan waivers.
In Kerala, normal life was significantly disrupted, with most establishments remaining shut. Public transport, including buses, did not operate, though some two-wheelers and private vehicles were seen. Universities postponed all examinations due to the strike. In Thiruvananthapuram, the police provided full security to the State Secretariat amid heated arguments between striking workers and those attempting to attend office. The trade sector came to a standstill, with banks, financial institutions, and shopping malls closed in many areas, and those that had opened were reportedly asked to close.
minimise impact
In West Bengal, the government implemented measures to minimise the strike’s impact on normal life. Despite attempts to block roads and trains in some parts, police and administration made extensive security and transport arrangements to ensure normalcy.
The All India Coal Workers’ Federation (AICWF) General Secretary D D Ramanandan reported an “unprecedented” response from workers in the coal sector. He stated that over 85 percent of workers at Coal India and Singareni Collieries Company participated, with contract workers also joining, making the strike “very successful.” Ramanandan confirmed that there was no mining activity, production, or transportation (rail and road) in the coal sector on Wednesday. AICWF is affiliated with CITU.
In Puducherry, privately operated buses, autos, and tempos were off the roads, and private schools declared a holiday as a precautionary measure. Shops, establishments, and markets remained closed. Banking services in Madhya Pradesh were also affected, with around 40,000 employees from public sector and regional rural banks across 8,700 branches participating in the strike. Trade unions in Jharkhand claimed that coal, banking, and other sectors were impacted, with coal production, loading, and dispatch significantly affected due to miners being on strike.
Published on July 9, 2025