The general strike called by central trade unions in protest against ''anti-labour policies of the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre, hit financial services across Prakasam District in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday.
Employees from public sector banks and insurance companies abstained from work to press their 10-point charter of demands including ending disinvestment in public sector units.
The strike also affected civic services as municipal workers abstained from work. Anganwadi workers under the banner of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Association (AWHA) affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) also struck work.
The APSRTC maintained about 85 per cent of the bus services though the workers from unions affiliated to CITU and All India Trade Union Congress(AITUC) did not report for duty.
The employees led by CITU district General Secretary Ch.Srinivasa Rao and AITUC distrct Secretary Sd.Sardar and All India Trade Union Congress(AITUC) District President President K. Ramasamy held a protest rally from the RTC bus stand to the Prakasam Bhavan in protest against relaxation of labour laws allegedly to favour multinational companies.
They also raised slogans against second generation economic reforms and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into key sectors including finance, defence, and railways.
Their other demands included scrapping of contract employment, payment of a minimum wage of Rs.15,000 to workers, lifting of ceiling on payment of bonus and other social security benefits, and spend at least 3 per cent of the GDP on workers’ welfare.
