THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The joint committee of trade unions has set up as many as 42 centres in Thiruvananthapuram district to stage various protests as part of the 48-hour general strike on Monday and Tuesday. At least 1,000 workers are expected to participate in the protests at each centre.
Essential services, hospitals and distribution of milk and newspapers have been exempted from the strike. In view of the day-to-day increase in fuel prices, the trade unions have urged people to keep vehicles off roads and to cooperate with the strike by avoiding travel and keeping shops and business establishments shut.
Palayam in Thiruvananthapuram city will be the main venue of the protests to be held as part of the strike. A rally will be taken out from Pulimoodu to Palayam at 11 am on Monday. CITU state secretary Elamaram Kareem will inaugurate the rally.
INTUC state president R Chandrashekharan will preside over the function. KP Rajendran of AITUC and trade union leaders Sonia George, Neelalohithadasan Nadar and Maheen Aboobacker will be present.
Poet Murukan Kattakkada will inaugurate a cultural programme for workers at 4 pm on Monday. On Tuesday, speeches by trade union leaders expressing solidarity with the strike and more cultural programmes for workers have been planned.
A rally from Palayam to GPO Junction, to be taken out by trade unions at 5 pm on Monday will mark the culmination of the 48-hour strike.