Thiruvananthapuram: The Marxist workers union has announced it will not enforce a two-day national shutdown on January 8 and 9 – Tuesday and Wednesday – in the tourism industry. Traders will not be forced to shutter shops either, said Elamaram Kareem, the state secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
The combined leadership of the trade unions had, however, announced that the national strike will be enforced totally in Kerala too. The Kerala Vyapari-Vyavasayi Ekopana Samiti (KVVES), organisation of traders and entrepreneurs, have asserted it will not cooperate with the closure call.
The nationwide shutdown involves trade unions in all sectors except those allied with the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is expected to be like a hartal as the state government as well as the opposition groups are offering support. The trade unions had clarified on Friday that even trains will be blocked.
The combined union leadership said employees of the state and Central governments, of financial establishments, shops and road construction workers etc will strike work.
Trains will be blockaded at main stations, the leaders said, adding that instructions have been issued that Sabarimala pilgrims should not be made to suffer.
Those who do not join the strike should be able to drive vehicles and reach work places while merchants should have the freedom to keep their shops open. However, the trade unions have called for participation of all sections. Neither is there any plan to withdraw the strike as it was called very early and is a nation-wide shutdown.
There is no exemption for the state which has bore the brunt of a series of hartals in the last few months.
