Nationwide strike has limited impact in Maharashtra

The nationwide strike had a limited impact on the financial capital on Monday, with most of the services functioning normally. Employees from Maharashtra's power sector utilities joined the strike despite the threat of action against them, but they had extensive negotiations with the state's power minister Nitin Raut. Besides, employees from state-owned banks and insurers and old private sector lenders held a meeting at the Azad Maidan, the city's official protesting ground.?

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 28 March 2022 1:43 pm

Nationwide strike has limited impact in Maharashtra

Maharashtra State Bank Employees Federation claimed 5,000 employees attended the protest in a statement. Devidas Tuljapurkar, General Secretary of Maharashtra State Banking Employees Federation, said the workers would assemble for a rally at Horniman Circle in South Mumbai on Tuesday morning and try forming a human chain. Ahead of the strike, the city-headquartered SBI, the country's largest lender, warned customers of some inconveniences.

?Volume data from clearinghouses and cash replenishment at Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) was unavailable, though the striking employees claimed they had a profound impact. There was no word about effects at the two ports in the city and its vicinity with unionized employees.

?A day after threatening to impose the Maharashtra Essential Services Management Act (MESMA), Raut held a virtual meeting with the striking employees and assured them that none of the corporations would be privatized, one of the key concerns the employees, according to a statement. The minister has called for a face-to-face meeting with the employees on Tuesday, and all the concerns expressed by them will be discussed, as per the statement from the minister's office. Shops and establishments functioned normally.

?A joint forum of central trade unions has given a call for a nationwide strike on March 28 and 29 to protest against the government policies affecting workers, farmers, and people. Their demands include the scrapping of the labor codes, no privatization, the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP), increased allocation of wages under MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi Rural Employment Guarantee Act), and regularisation of contract workers.?