United trade union's two-day strike begins across country

One of the major demands put forth by the protesters is to include enactment of the Social Security Act and setting of a minimum wage of Rs 24,000 for unorganised transport workers. IN PIC: Banks in Chennai look deserted as Bank union members have joined the nation-wide strike (Photo | Ashwin Prasath/EPS)

The protests are not only affecting normalcy in the metropolitan cities but other states too saw a similar sight. IN PIC: CITU, JCTU Workers protest at Penya during Bharath Bandh in Bengaluru (Photo | Nagaraja Gadekl/EPS)

In Kerala, the State Employees and Teachers Organisation (SETO) will also join the protest and they will also conduct district-taluk-wise agitations. IN PIC:The united trade union front members stage a mass rally during a Nation wide strike in Kochi on Tuesday (Photo | A Sanesh/EPS)

On Monday, Deputy Commissioners of several districts, including Bengaluru, issued orders for schools to remain closed on Tuesday. The bandh is also likely to affect public transport as buses operated by the state government will mostly stay off the roads as union members are supporting the bandh call. IN PIC:A pro-strike poster on a auto rickshaw near Race Course in Bengaluru. (Photo | Vinod Kumar T/EPS)

All the central government employees are expected to participate in the 48-hour strike. Ten trade unions that have already joined the strike are INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, AICCTU, UTUC, TUCC, LPF and SEWA. IN PIC:Joint trade union workers blocking trains at Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway station on Tuesday (Photo | EPS)

Police detains agitatating trade union memebers at Triplicane in Chennai (Photo |Debadatta Mallick/EPS)

An empty-looking MGBS bus station in Hyderabad on the first day of all India strike (Photo |Vinay Madapu/EPS)

Joint trade union workers taking out a protest march in Thiruvananthapuram on the day of all-India strike (Photo |BP Deepu /EPS)