A joint forum of 10 central trade unions has been staging a Bharat bandh, or a nationwide strike, since Wednesday morning in protest against the four labour codes, contractualisation and privatisation of PSUs, among others.  The forum has claimed that 25 crore workers are mobilised for the “general strike” in protest against the new labour codes, along with other issues. The strike was called against “liberalisation, price rise of essentials, joblessness, increase in contractual work and other issues”.

The unions are demanding the withdrawal of fixed-term employment contracts and the scrapping of the Agnipath military recruitment scheme. Other key demands include an eight-hour workday, restoration of the non-contributory Old Pension Scheme, and a minimum monthly pension of Rs 9,000 for EPFO subscribers.

They have also sought worker status and ESIC coverage for Anganwadi, ASHA, midday meal, and Asha Kiran workers. The charter calls for the formation of a Climate Resilience Fund to address losses caused by extreme weather events, along with a fresh session of the Indian Labour Conference, which has not been convened since 2015.