India has had its biggest union strike yet. This strike is also known as the 2020 Indian general strike, organized by 10 trade unions across the country. This was also supported by the Indian National Congress. It is estimated that about 250 million people took part of this strike, thus making it the largest in World History. There were 7 specific demands from the strikers.
The first demand was a cash transfer of 7,500 rupees, or $101 in US currency to families who earn less than the income tax threshold. They requested that those families get paid every month.
The second demand which the strikers requested, was that 10 grams grains get sent every month to people who are in need of grains.
The third demand was that the strikers wanted the government to expand the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee act. This act is a law saying that everyone has the right to work. They wanted to make it expand where also people in urban areas are affected by this, and also that the wages are increased.
The fourth demand was that the anti work labor code changes are to be taken out, and also that the Indian agricultural acts should be removed, because the protesters see it as more “anti farmer laws.”
The fifth reform was to stop moving corporations from the public sector to the private sector.
The sixth reform was to take out forced early retirement for employees part of the government, and public sector.
Finally the seventh reform was to give everyone pension, and improve EPS(Early Pension Scheme) 95. EPS 95 is where pensioners are required to turn in a Digital Life Certificate(DLC) every year in order to keep drawing pension. The government did not get involved in this, and there were no repercussions on the strikers. In fact it was actually a major success. This strike will go down in history as the biggest one in the entire world!
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