The Hindu Business Line : Strike successful in AP: Left

TOTAL SHUTDOWN: Deserted counters at the Local Head Office of State Bank of India in Hyderabad, as employees went on strike as part of the nation-wide strike called by the Leftist trade unions on Thursday. - P.V. Sivakumar

Hyderabad , Sept. 29

THE trade union bodies affiliated to the Left parties have claimed that the one-day nationwide strike on Thursday in Andhra Pradesh was a total success.

The strike call was given to protest against the UPA Government's economic policies and its proposal to dilute the labour laws.

In the State, the strike affected banks including RBI, LIC and GIC, according to a press release from All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC).

The AITUC said services at the Begumpet International Airport were crippled due to strike by employees of the Airports Authority of India. Some of the flights of Indian Airlines, Air India and Air Sahara were cancelled.

In AP State Road Transport Corporation attendance was little over 50 per cent. This is because the recognised NMU union and BMS unions did not participate in the strike. The APSTRC management maintained services by drafting employees on overtime (OT) duty.

The strike in Central Government offices such as AG Office, Defence, Income Tax, Survey of India, GSI and Civil Accounts was total.

The State Government employees and teachers also participated. The State Secretariat employees conducted demonstrations at the Secretariat, the release said.

The strike in Singareni Coal Mines was over 80 per cent. Though the recognised INTUC union did not participate in the strike, a large number of employees participated in the strike, AITUC said.

While strike at Visakhapatnam was nearly total at Dock Labour Board, the work at Visakhapatnam Ship Yard was affected badly with over 70 per cent employees participating in the strike.

According to AITUC, the strike at Vizag Steel Plant was only 20 per cent since the recognised INTUC union did not participate in the strike. However, strike at Bharat Heavy Plates was total since workers affiliated to INTUC also participated in the strike, the release said.

Reports from other parts of the State said the shutdown was near-total in banks, public sector units and private industrial units.

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