Call For May 20 All India Workers’ Strike Getting Wider Support

By Dr. Gyan Pathak

The two-months workers’ campaign against the new labour codes and privatization of public sector undertakings, that began on March 18, 2025 at the National Convention of workers in New Delhi with a call for an all India workers strike on May 20, has been getting wider support from workers, farmers, employees unions, and federations of various sectors including bank and insurance. Left political parties have also fully supported the strike. Farmers unions are also backing it. Chakka Jam for few hours have also been planned during which road transport and railway movements will be stopped.

May Day demonstrations across the country on May 1 were massive, including in New Delhi. During the demonstration, the representatives of Left Parties in several states have also called for Chakka Jam. For example, in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, the representatives from left parties have announced their support and decided to block the movement of vehicles and trains for two hours to press the 17-point demands of workers.

The Left parties in Ranchi have actually decided for larger campaigns, which included media briefings at all district headquarters on May 10, street meetings and pamphlet distribution from May 15 to 19, and torchlight procession across the state on May 19. They would also stop the movement of vehicles and trains from 10 AM to 12 Noon on May 20 and court arrest before the district administration.

The Left parties across the country in all states have various programmes of protests until May 20 all India workers’ general strike.

The call for two months campaign was given by the National Convention of Workers which was organized by the joint platform of the 10 Central Trade Unions – INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC – and Independent National Sectoral Federations and association. They adopted a declaration on March 18, 2025 in New Delhi, to launch a two-months campaign immediately against the anti-worker and pro-corporate policies being implemented by the PM Narendra Modi led central government, which included the four controversial labour codes and privatization of public sector undertakings, public section banks and insurance companies. The declaration has called for all India general strike of workers on May 20 on the day of culmination of the campaign.

Banks and Insurance sector employees’ associations have also decided to participate in the campaign and in the general strike of May 20. During a meeting held recently, All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA), All India Insurance Employees Association (AIIEA), National Confederation of Bank Employees (NCBE), All India LIC Employees Federation (AILICEF), All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA), Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), Indian National Bank Officers Congress (INBOC), and All India National Life Insurance Employees’ Federation – AINLIEF (INTUC) have decided for their separate joint campaign.

During the deliberations, all the Unions welcomed the initiative of the Central Trade Unions and the decision of the Convention that trade unions and workers should resist these policies which are inimical to the interest of the working class and common masses.

They have decided on a campaign programme that included a joint appeal to the workforce in the entire financial sector to join the general strike of workers on May 20, leaflet distribution, all meeting on May 1 and May 18, joint demonstrations on May 8 and May 19, poster campaign, and rally demonstrations on May 20.

In the meantime, several other associations have extended support for the May 20 general strike. The Water Transport Workers Federation of India (WTWFI) has announced its decision to participate in the strike. The national working committee of WTWFI, which met in Kochi, observed that the four labour codes would take away all the basic rights of the Indian working class. Evaluating the situations prevailing in major ports, it urged the government to withdraw the decision to amend the Major Port Authorities Act 2021 through its (Amendment) Bill 2025.

.The Confederation of All Nagaland State Services Employee’s Association (CANSSEA) has announced its support for the nationwide general strike.

Telangana Farmers’ association has also given a call for rural Bharat Bandh on May 20. On the May Day event its leader said while they fought for an eight-hour workday, the current Modi government has legally allowed workers to toil for up to 13 hours under new labour codes.

Anganwadi workers and helpers in several states, including in Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand have decided to go on strike on May 20.

In Rajasthan, foodgrain market labour union, FCI, Seeds Corporation, rickshaw pullers, tractor, tempo, canter drivers etc have also decided to participate.

Municipality workers and 8 transport workers union in Haryana have decided to go on strike. All India Transport Workers Union have also supported the workers strike action and decided to participate in it. Non-gazetted government employees’ union in several states have also given a call for participating in the May 20 strike.

During the last two months of the campaign the workers and trade unions have been organizing march on foot, cycle, and motor vehicle across the country. Numerous protest demonstrations have been organized at local, districts, states, and national levels. Seminars and Workshops have been organized at all levels to make the May 20 general strike of workers successful. (IPA Service)