Nationwide Trade Union Strike Cripples Key Sectors Across India
India is grappling with widespread service disruptions today as major trade unions and public sector employees stage a coordinated nationwide strike. Banking, postal operations, railways, electricity, and road logistics have all taken a hit, as unions protest the new labor codes, privatization of PSUs, and demand restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and a minimum wage hike to ₹26,000.
Public sector banks across metro cities remain shut, with ATM operations disrupted in semi-urban and rural belts due to staff shortages. Postal services, too, are affected—delivery systems and counters remain largely non-functional. Indian Railways has witnessed scattered disruptions, especially in Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, with protesters staging sit-ins and blocking train tracks.
The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and other striking bodies have warned of “chakka jams” across industrial corridors. Highways near Ludhiana, Durgapur, Coimbatore, and Jamshedpur are witnessing slowdowns, leading to stalled freight movement and delivery delays. Adding pressure, power sector workers in Uttar Pradesh have launched a parallel protest, warning of blackout risks if the standoff extends.
The agitation is backed by a 17-point charter of demands, including opposition to all four new labor codes, halting PSU disinvestment, and full-time employment over mass contractualization. Support has poured in from farmer groups like the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and various non-political rural organizations. In cities like Ranchi, solidarity marches led by Left-aligned unions have drawn significant crowds.
Interestingly, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), affiliated with the RSS, has distanced itself from the strike, calling it politically driven. Despite that, ground turnout remains strong and decentralized, cutting across affiliations.
The Centre has activated emergency teams and urged states to maintain essential services. Some have hinted at invoking ESMA if the strike continues. However, the turnout suggests this may only be the beginning of deeper labor unrest leading into key budget discussions.
