Strike to disrupt communications, rail services on Aug 20

New Delhi, Aug 18 (UNI) Communications and rail services are likely to be affected on Wednesday with the all India general strike by the seven Left-wing Central Trade Unions against the government's refusal to accept their six-point demands and ''aggressive anti-people economic policies''.

The six-point demands are to contain unprecedented price rise, widening economic disparity, falling real wages and mass-scale violation of the labour laws, rising unemployment and increasing atrocities on labour.

The call for the August 20 countywide strike has been given by the Sponsoring Committee of Trade Unions comprising AITUC, CITU, HMS, AIUTUC, AICCTU, UTUC and TUCC.

This was stated by the labour leaders at a press conference where they said at least 10 crore employees and workers from the unorganised sector will participate in the massive demonstrations, rallies, picketing and road blockades.

The local units of the BMS and the INTUC would also be a part of the agitation.

CITU president M K Pandhe said, ''The Central government employees are unhappy with the government with the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission as it has further widened the economic disparity; the peasantry is annoyed because of the government apathy towards the plight of those farmers who have taken loans from the moneylenders.'' More UNI KSA AKJ RP HS1659