NEW DELHI: The one day nationwide strike against the government’s economic policies called by trade unions owing allegiance to Left parties evoked a mixed response across the country. While normal life came to a standstill in West Bengal the impact of the strike in Bihar and Kerala was partial.

The impact of the strike call was felt the most in the banking sector as banking activity throughout the country came to a grinding halt. Offices and branches of the State Bank of India were closed as officers stayed away from work. The clerical staff of SBI did not join the strike but enjoyed one days paid holiday with branches and Offices being closed

Clearing operations were suspended throughout the country on account of the strike 4 few branches of Canara Bank Punjab and Sind Bank Punjab National Bank New Bank of India and Bank of Baroda were open in the Capital but few transactions took place.

A section of employees in these banks joined the strike thus affecting normal Work. Central government employees in the pated in dharma organized by the Federation of Central Secretariat and Allied Offices.

Conflicting claims were made by the government and the trade unions about the impact of the nationwide strike on industrial activity. The government claimed that the strike had failed to evoke any response from the people and workers except in a couple of States.

However Dr.M.K.Pandhe general secretary of the Center of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) Speaking on behalf of the Sponsoring Committee of Indian Trade Union termed the strike as a “total Success.” He stated that the strike call had evoked tremendous enthusiasm from the workers

Indian Airlines operated its revised schedule and Operated 34 flights linking Bombay Delhi Madras Bangalore Hyderabad and Leh. It had Suspended its flights to other centers a 4 section of its employees had joined the strike. Trade unions claimed that Workers of National Airport Authority of India also participated in the strike thus affecting the normal work in the airport managed by it.

While the strike failed to disrupt normal life in the Capital industrial establishments in and around Delhi including Okhla Wazirpur Industrial Area were closed. The industrial belts in Haryana Ghaziabad Noida and Meerut also remained close.

P.A.Sangma minister of state coal and labor addressing a press conference stated that situation all over the country was near normal and claimed that railway and telecommunication service functioned normally except in Bengal Bihar and Kerala. He said that the strike call was politically mentioned.

Sangma claimed that work in all major ports and docks functioned smoothly except for Calcutta, Cochin and Vishakapatnam. He said that strike call had evoked response from only 10% of the public sector undertakings and most of these units were in West Bengal and Bihar.

He claimed that attendance in Heavy engineering Cooperation Ranch was normal. Referring to the coal sector the minister said that out of 511 mines under coal India Limited work was affected in 68 mines only.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 26, 1992