Nationwide trade unions strike: Employees hold protest in Punjab, Haryana

Employees and workers associated with a joint forum of central trade unions held protests in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on Thursday against the Centre's labour reforms and economic policies. Calling the Centre's policies ''pro-corporate'', the union representatives held an agitation at Chandigarh's Sector 17 and raised slogans against the Union government. They were holding placards mentioning ''We reject labour codes'' and ''We oppose anti-labour codes''. In Ludhiana, the Punjab Bank Employees' Federation (PBEF) organised a massive rally at the Bharat Nagar Chowk. Demonstrations were also held at many places in Haryana, including Sonipat, Rohtak and Hisar. However, banks and roadways buses functioned normally at most places in the state. The president of All India State Government Employees Federation, Subhash Lamba, claimed a ''very good response'' after workers associated with the forum held a protest at various places. In the industrial sector, several workers in Manesar, Gurugram, Faridabad, Bawal, and Dharuhera joined the strike, he said, adding that the ASHA and the Anganwari workers also took part in the demonstrations. ''The strike also had an impact on various departments of the state government, like Urban Local Bodies, power, tourism, irrigation, health and revenue,'' Lamba said. However, an official statement of the Haryana government said the nationwide strike on the call of central trade unions had no significant impact in Haryana. Normal life continued smoothly across all districts, and no reports of any untoward incident, vandalism, or disturbance to law and order were received from anywhere. The situation throughout the state remained entirely peaceful and under control, it said. Traffic remained unaffected throughout the state, and road, rail, and public transport services continued to operate normally, the statement said. Industrial areas, markets, educational institutions, and government and private offices functioned as usual. Health services, banking services, water supply, electricity supply, and other essential facilities remained uninterrupted, ensuring that citizens did not face any inconvenience, it said. The demonstrations by trade unions are observed across several parts of the country, including West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The demands include the scrapping of four labour codes and rules, withdrawal of the Draft Seed Bill and Electricity Amendment Bill, and the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act. The four labour codes are -- the Code on Wages, 2019, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, the Code on Social Security, 2020 and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020. The unions are also demanding the restoration of MGNREGA and the scrapping of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025.