Labour unions claim most industries remained closed
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The overall situation in Goa continued to remain normal even on second day of the All India Bandh call given by the National Convention of Workers (NCW). However, the labour unions, which are part of two-day nationwide strike, claimed that majority of the industries in the State remained closed on Thursday, a claim conditionally denied by the industrial association.
The public transport system remained unaffected even today. The nationalized banks in the State remained closed along with office of LIC and Provident Fund (PF), for the second consecutive day.
The Goa Convention of Workers (GCW), an umbrella organization of labour unions, protesting against the anti-people and anti-labour policies of the UPA government at the centre and BJP-led government in Goa, has said that more than one lakh industrial worker participated in the two-day strike.
“Series of mass rallies were organized at various industrial estates in Goa. All the industries remained closed today,” Goa Convention of Workers said.
When contacted, the President, Goa Small Industries Association (GSIA) Shekhar Sardesai said “I am yet to assess the impact but as far as I know there has no impact”.
The protesters demanded immediate roll back of the increase in the prices of food items of daily consumption, petrol, diesel, LPG cylinders, and abolition of contract labour system and minimum wages of Rs 10,000 per month for the unskilled workers.
VASCO: While most industrial estates were alleged to have been forcefully closed down on Thursday as a part of the nationwide bandh, the industrial estates at Sancoale and Verna functioned without any disturbance. However, a few workers were seen participating in a rally at the industrial estate.
BICHOLIM: Banks and some government offices remained closed for the second day, while some industries that resumed its operations in the morning were shut later in the day.
In Bicholim, the All India Bandh call evoked mix response as most private buses were seen plying on the road, while nationalized banks remained closed for the second day.
PONDA: The strike affected industrial operations in Ponda taluka after workers affiliated to various trade unions allegedly blocked entry points to the industrial units to enforce the bandh.
On the first day on Wednesday, the bandh hardly had any impact on Kundaim, Bethora and Madkaim industrial estates as only a few factories were shut down. The situation was quite different on Thursday as workers affiliated to different trade unions allegedly resorted to a human blockade at the entry points of all three industrial estates to prohibit workers from entering the industrial estate.
