The nation-wide bandh against recent reforms of the Centre is likely to impact normal life on Thursday, with a number of trade unions affiliated to major political parties supporting the strike.
Sources said major labour organisations, including the DMK-affiliated Labour Progressive Front (LPF) and the unions affiliated to the the two Communist Parties—CITU and AITUC— to which a significant chunk of the transport workers belong, are in the forefront of the bandh. However, senior MTC officials, who spoke to Express, said buses will ply as usual in the city with the corporation planning to press those working on Thursday on double duty in case there is a necessity.
“We are coordinating with police. Adequate protection has been promised and hence the public need not fear. There will be close to 100 per cent functioning of buses on Thursday,” said a senior official. The case with autorickshaws though could be different given the fact that CITU and AITUC are the major players in this front.
Spokespersons of these organisations said they would ensure complete success of the agitations and added that individuals affiliated to other organisations too would be “persuaded” to stop work on Thursday.
While the State government has not come out with any statement on the bandh, the Tamil Nadu Government Employees Association has declared that it would lend its support. The one area where the bandh is likely to be total is the participation of traders, who have stridently opposed the introduction of FDI in retail sector. The Traders’ Association has slated the agitation as ‘do-or-die’, pointing out that entry of foreign MNCs into retail will sound the death knell to crores of small traders.
Most political parties in the State, including DMK, DMDK, MDMK, PMK, CPI and CPM, have come out in favour of the bandh. While DMK has said it is not coordinating with any party and was carrying out the bandh on its own terms, almost all these parties have taken a similar stand and have demanded withdrawal of hike in diesel price and FDI.
Given that the Communist parties have led the call for the protests, all factories and organisations in the State where unions affiliated to these parties have a strong presence, are likely to be shut. However, till evening on Wednesday, most MNCs in the IT sector have not sent any official circulars to the staff regarding the bandh. Also, many of the associations representing school van and bus operators have also expressed their solidarity with other unions
Meanwhile, many private colleges in the city and outskirts have declared holiday on Thursday.
Some important unions that are not participating in the bandh include the Anna Thozhil Sanga Peravai and the INTUC.
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