Trade union strike total in Kerala

A 24-hour strike called by 11 trade unions to protest against the government’s “anti-labour” policies evoked total response in Kerala, with transport off the roads and all commercial and industrial units shut. Air and train services, however, operated as scheduled.

“Everything is shut. Schools and colleges are closed. All banks and industrial units are shut. Markets are closed. Transport is off the roads,” an official said.

The strike, however, did not affect air and rail services, he added.

The state government has said that its employees who join the strike will have a day’s pay deducted.

Labour unions claim the strike, the biggest in India since independence in 1947, was to warn the government against its “anti-labour policies”.