Imphal, August 17: In protest against the alleged anti-worker policies being pursued by the UPA Government at the Centre, the Sponsoring Committee of Trade Union, Manipur has called a State-wide general strike for 12 hours with effect from 5 am to 5 pm of August 20 .

Announcing this during a press conference at the office of the All India Trade Union Congress, Manipur State Committee located at Irabot Bhavan today afternoon, convenor of the Sponsoring Committee of Trade Union, Manipur L Sotinkumar said the general strike is being called by the Sponsoring Committee in collaboration with various other Associations and Federations as part of the Nation-wide agitation against the UPA Government to revoke its antiworker policies.

During the course of the 12-hour long general strike, the ground staff of the Airport Authority of India in the State would suspend their work and stop the flight service.

The employees of the Telecom, Postal, Bank, Insurance and other Government Departments would also suspend their work.

Over and above this, workers in Road Transport services and shop and establishments would also cease their work on the day and join the protest, the convenor informed.

He also appealed to the people to co-operate and support the strike being called to press various demands including punishment of the officials responsible for the Monika fiasco, to stop corruption and nepotism in sports, to stop commercialisation of education and health care, to reduce the prices of essential commodities, to ensure availability of PDS items to the people at an affordable rate, to provide minimum security to the workers and farmers along with passing of the Unorganised Sector Workers Social Security Bill pending in the Parliament, rectification of the pay anomaly in the Sixth Pay Commission in consultation with employees' associations, to take up necessary preventive measures against corruption and ensure proper utilisation of the developmental funds.

Until and unless all these demands are complied with, the Sponsoring Committee would continue to launch various agitations relentlessly, Sotinkumar declared.

He further informed that to ensure the success of the general strike, preparations are ready for deployment of volunteers at over 100 places located in different parts of the State including 12 points along the National Highways.

However, educational institutions and essential services would be exempted from the purview of the general strike, he added.

On the other hand, justifying the general strike being called by the Sponsoring Committee of the Trade Union on August 20, All Manipur Shops and Establishment Employees' Association S Chaoba said that the Association would support the general strike.

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