A nationwide general strike, or "Bharat Bandh," is scheduled for Wednesday, July 9, 2025, potentially disrupting banking and other essential services across India. A coalition of 10 central trade unions and various farmer bodies have called for the strike to protest the government's "anti-worker, anti-farmer, and anti-national pro-corporate policies".

Expected Participation and Impact

Organizers anticipate that over 25 crore workers from both formal and informal sectors will participate in the strike. Farmers and rural workers are also expected to join the protests across the country. Key sectors likely to be affected include:

• Banking and Insurance: Banking and insurance services may face disruptions. While no official bank holiday has been announced, banking operations such as branch services, cheque clearance, and customer support could be impacted in many regions.
• Postal Services: Postal operations are also expected to be affected.
• Coal Mining and Factories: Coal mining and industrial production are likely to be disrupted.
• State Transport: State-run public transport services may experience disruptions. In Kerala, significant disruption in public transport is expected.
• Government Offices and Public Sector Units: The strike may affect the functioning of government offices and public sector units.
• Electricity Supply: Electricity supply could be hit as more than 27 lakh power workers may participate in the Bharat Bandh.

However, schools, colleges, and private offices are expected to remain open during the strike.

Reasons for the Strike

The unions are protesting against economic and labor policies they claim are detrimental to workers and farmers. Their key concerns include:

• Anti-worker labor policies: The unions allege that the government is pushing labor reforms that weaken worker rights, suppress collective bargaining, and worsen job conditions in the name of ease of doing business. They specifically criticize the four labor codes passed by Parliament, claiming they will cripple trade union movements, increase working hours, and remove workers' rights to collective bargaining and strikes.
• Privatization: The unions oppose the privatization of public sector enterprises and public services.
• Lack of government consultation: The forum says that the government has not conducted annual labor conferences for the last 10 years and continues to take decisions that are against the interests of the labor force.
• Economic policies: The unions argue that current economic policies are leading to increased unemployment, rising prices of essential commodities, wage depression, and reduced social sector spending, affecting the poor and middle-class. They are demanding government action to address unemployment, fill sanctioned posts, create more jobs, increase MGNREGA wages, and enact similar legislation for urban areas.
• Recruitment practices: The unions criticize the government's practice of recruiting retired personnel instead of providing regular appointments to youth.

Demands of the Trade Unions

The trade unions have presented a 17-point charter of demands to the government. Key demands include:

• Halting the four labor codes.
• Restoring workers' rights to unionize and strike.
• Creating more jobs, especially for youth.
• Filling government vacancies with new recruitments.
• Increasing MGNREGA wages and expanding the scheme to urban areas.
• Strengthening public health, education, and civic services.

Support from Farmer Organizations

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha and agricultural workers unions have pledged their support to the strike and plan to mobilize participants in rural areas. They are protesting against economic decisions that they claim are worsening rural distress.