Nationwide Strike to Challenge Government Policies

A coalition of 10 central trade unions, alongside agricultural and rural labor organizations, has called for a nationwide strike, termed 'Bharat Bandh', on July 9, 2025. This movement aims to protest against policies perceived to favor corporations over workers, with an expected participation of over 25 crore workers across various sectors.

Key sectors anticipated to be affected include:

Financial institutions and banking operations, postal services, industrial units, coal mines, regional transport networks, and government offices. Notably, staff from NMDC and other government-operated steel and mineral companies are joining the strike.

Banking and Stock Market Operations

While banking associations have not confirmed disruptions, organizers predict interruptions in banking services. However, banks are likely to remain officially open as the day is not declared a holiday by the RBI. Conversely, stock markets will operate normally on July 9, 2025.

Underlying Causes of the Strike

The unions express frustration over the government's lack of response to their 17-point demand charter, highlighting issues such as the absence of Indian Labour Conference sessions, implementation of labor codes extending work hours, and unaddressed demands for public sector employment expansion and salary increases.