Guwahati, Mar 28 (PTI) Public transport was off the road, while services in the banking and other financial institutions were affected in Assam on Monday, the first day of the nationwide strike called by central trade unions against various “wrong” policies of the government.
Protesters belonging to several trade unions were picked up when they tried to start a march in support of the two-day strike from the Guwahati Club point. They were later released, police said.
City and long-distance buses, cab services, auto-rickshaws and other commercial vehicles decided not to ply on the first day of the general strike leaving the commuters in the lurch.
Banks, insurance companies and all other public sector institutional financial establishments remained closed as the employees did not report for their duties.
Tanker services of various oil companies were also hit as different unions took part in the strike.
A joint forum of central trade unions has given a call for a nationwide strike on March 28 and 29 to protest against the government policies affecting workers, farmers and people.
Their demands include the scrapping of the labour codes, no privatisation in any form, scrapping of the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP), increased allocation of wages under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and regularisation of contract workers.
The central trade unions that are part of this joint forum are INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC.
The strike notices have been given by the unions in various sectors, including coal, steel, oil, telecom, postal, income tax, copper, banks and insurance.