Normal life is expected to come to a standstill in the State on Monday and Tuesday with around 22 trade unions (TUs) owing allegiance to the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF) extending support to the two-day all-India strike called by a joint forum of central trade unions.
The trade unions in various sectors such as manufacturing, service, banking, insurance, among others have extended support for the strike, while unions in the railways and airports would engage in mass mobilisation in support of the strike, according to the joint forum of central trade unions.
Strike notices have been served by unions in almost all sectors, including telecom, postal, banking, insurance, among others. Private and public vehicles will stay off the road, while two-wheeler and train travelers were urged to avoid travelling by the striking unions as part of supporting the strike. There would be at least 25 strike centres in each district to coordinate the protest programmes during the 48 hours, while there would be 42 centres in Thiruvananthapuram.
The private bus operators, who withdrew the indefinite strike called by them, have extended support to the strike that billed against the anti-worker, anti-farmer, anti-people and anti-national policies of the Central government.
However, essential services such as hospital, ambulance, medical shops, milk, media and fire and rescue services were exempted from the strike. Meanwhile, various tourism bodies demanded exemption of the sector from the strike.
The two-day strike would convey a negative impression about the hospitality sector in Kerala to the outside world. The State government should take steps to avoid such a situation, especially when the State has been trying hard to reinvigorate the tourism sector in God’s Own Country after the pandemic, said E.M. Najeeb, senior vice president, Indian Association of Tour Operators.
