"A one-day general strike, called by India's major trade unions to protest high inflation and other issues, disrupted daily routines Tuesday,"
: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2012/02/28/24-hour-general-strike-starts-in-India/UPI-69641330411406/#ixzz1nmMezuKN
"Eleven central trade unions backed the strike call, posing a fresh challenge to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ...had called on the unions to call off the show of force.....Among the unions’ demands are a national minimum wage, permanent jobs for 50 million contract labourers, more government efforts to rein in the rising cost of living, and an end to the sale of stakes in profitable public companies."
http://www.dawn.com/2012/02/28/all-india-strike-poses-fresh-challenge-to-govt.html
"The demands before the Striking workers and their trade unions were 1) concrete measures to contain price rise 2) concrete measures for linkage of employment protection with the concession/incentive package offered to the entrepreneurs, 3) Strict enforcement of all basic labour laws without any exception or exemption and stringent punitive measures for violations, 4) universal social security cover for the unorganized sector workers without any restriction and creation of a National Social Security Fund with adequate resources in line with the recommendation of NCEUS and Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour and 5) Stoppage of disinvestment in central and state profit-making PSUs, 6) No Contractorisation of work of permanent/perennial nature and payment of wages and benefits to the contract workers at the same rate as available to the regular workers of the industry/establishment, 7) Amendment of Minimum Wages Act to ensure universal coverage irrespective of the schedules and fixation of statutory minimum wage at not less than Rs 10,000/-, 8) Remove all ceilings on payment and eligibility of Bonus, Provident Fund; Increase the quantum of gratuity, 9)Assured Pension for all, 10) Compulsory registration of trade unions within a period of 45 days and immediate ratification of the ILO Conventions nos 87 and 98. "
http://ganashakti.com/news/single-news/article/central-trade-unions-congratulate-working-peoplebr-for-successful-countrywide-general-strike.html
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:special report from bengal:
my pal dani bose at the "bengal lancet "..sordid pink that he is ...
was delighted by the ineffectiveness of chief minister of strike breaking Mamata Banerjee
an e mail:
"she ordered a thousand fresh buses into the center of the city
'to keep normality running'
surely she would prefer to rage at the strikers
"i'll shoot you all "
like a french general fighting not the huns at the front lines
but the poilu on R & R ...what a performance "
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/bengal-worst-hit-in-general-strike/466132/
