On the call of eight central trade unions, workers and employees stopped work for two hours throughout the country on 16 April to
protest against Indian government's anti-worker, anti-people policies of globalisation, liberalisation and privatisation.

Two-Hour Strike Against Globalisation

On the call of eight central trade unions, workers and employees stopped work for two hours throughout the country on 16 April to
protest against Indian government's anti-worker, anti-people policies of globalisation, liberalisation and privatisation.

In Bihar, two hour stop work was observed in various factories and institutions. In Patna, workers in NTC, Bata, Patna Dairy Project
and in various units of Pataliputra Industrial Area struct work for two hours and raised slogans against globalisation and cut in trade
union rights. Two-hour strike was successful in Hajipur industrial area and a mass meeting was held there. Work was also stopped in
NCL, Bihta and Fostner Mill, Gaya. "Oust Vajpayee, save the country, save the toilers"were the slogans raised in these places.

On this day, dharna was staged by workers and state/central govt. employees under the banner of Mazdoor Ekta Manch (Workers' Unity
Forum) at Income Tax Roundabout. Workers also staged dharna at JP Roundabout near Gandhi Maidan. Workers took out a march under
the joint banner of all central trade unions from Reserve Bank near Gandhi Maidan and later held a meeting near Railway Station. It was
addressed by leaders of AICCTU, AITUC, CITU, TUCC, UTUC, UTUC(LS) and INTUC.

In Delhi, Karmchari Ekta Manch (Employees Unity Forum) organised a dharna at Jantar Mantar on 16 April. Here, issues of
privatisation of DTC, eviction of small-scale industries, and other problems related to Delhi were also raised along with national-level
issues of adverse changes in labour laws, disinvestment, Balco, budget, etc. Those who addressed the dharna include Com. Ram Kishan,
Convenor of the Manch, RAP Singh, ex-Postal union leader and Mahadevayya of Postal ED Staff Association, NN Thomas of DTC
Workes , Satbeer Shramik of Telecom and Dhaniram of State Govt. Health Employees Union.