New Delhi, July 9 – A nationwide general strike, called by a coalition of 10 central trade unions, is expected to draw participation from over 25 crore workers on Wednesday, severely disrupting services in banking, insurance, postal operations, coal mining, transport, and construction sectors.
The joint platform of central trade unions and sectoral federations has called for a Bharat Bandh, alleging that the government’s economic and labour policies are “anti-worker, anti-farmer and pro-corporate.” The strike is also backed by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and several rural and agricultural workers’ groups, who have pledged large-scale mobilisations across the countryside.
“We are expecting massive participation from across the country, including workers in the unorganised sector,” said Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). “Farmers and rural workers will also join the protest.”
Harbhajan Singh Sidhu of the Hind Mazdoor Sabha added that key services, including public transport, banking, postal, and mining operations, will be impacted.
The unions said preparations for the strike have been underway for weeks, with workers from both formal and informal sectors rallying against what they describe as “systematic attacks” on labour rights and social protections. A 17-point charter of demands was earlier submitted to Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, but union leaders say the government has failed to address any of their core concerns.
Among the major grievances is the proposed implementation of four labour codes passed by Parliament. The unions argue these codes are designed to dilute labour protections, expand working hours, weaken collective bargaining rights, and decriminalise violations by employers. “These codes are aimed at suppressing trade union activities and promoting ease of business at the cost of the workforce,” the unions said in a joint statement.
Union leaders also criticised rising unemployment and inflation, wage stagnation, and cuts in government spending on health, education, and civic infrastructure. “Inequality is rising, and the burden is falling hardest on workers, the poor, and the middle class,” the statement read.
The protest also targets privatisation policies and the casualisation of the workforce. “We have opposed outsourcing, contractorisation, and the deliberate weakening of public sector units,” said a representative from the NMDC Ltd employees’ union, which has also served a strike notice.
The unions have further accused the government of undermining job creation. “Instead of recruiting youth, government departments are hiring retired personnel,” the statement said. “This is damaging in a country where over 65 percent of the population is under 35, and youth unemployment is alarmingly high, especially in the 20-25 age group.”
The strike is expected to draw participation from workers in steel, non-coal mineral sectors, state government offices, and public sector enterprises. This will be the fourth major nationwide strike in recent years, following protests held on November 26, 2020, March 28–29, 2022, and February 16, 2024.
“We demand employment, permanent recruitment, increased MGNREGA wages and coverage, and legislation for urban employment,” the unions said. “But the government is busy offering incentives to employers under the guise of schemes like the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI).”
