On 26 November 2020, a mass general strike was held across India. Some people have estimated that 250 million (25 crore) people took part in the strike. If that number is correct, then it would be the biggest strike in history. The strike was jointly called by ten central trade unions – Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC), Trade Union Co-ordination Centre (TUCC), Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) and All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC).[1]
All over the country, both public and private sector employees participated in the strike. The united front of the over 250 farmers organizations, All India Kisan Sangharsh Co-ordination Committee (AIKSCC), extended support to the trade union strike and the unions extended their support to the farmers’ “Chalo Delhi” (Go to Delhi) mobilization on 26 and 27 November. Farmers are protesting against recent anti-farmer laws which would withdraw the government's minimum support price for farm products, with serious implications for farmers’ income and livelihoods.
The unions protested against the three new Labour Codes – the Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2020; the Code on Social Security Bill, 2020; and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code Bill, 2020 – that were passed by both houses of the Parliament earlier in 2020.[2]
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