The Maharashtra Rajya Mathadi, Transport and General Kamgar Union’s call for a state-wide bandh on Monday affected operations across all the 300-odd agriculture produce market committees (APMCs), railway yards, transport industries, government warehouses and MIDC companies. The call was given by the union to protest against the state government’s plan to make changes in the Mathadi Kamgar Act, 1989.
This time, the mathadi (manual labourers for loading and unloading trucks) union has also included fruits and vegetables’ wholesale markets in the strike to put pressure on the state government.
“We have informed farmers not to bring vegetables at any APMCs as mathadi workers will not be available to unload,” said Narendra Patil, MLC and leader of the union said. Patil said the workers will be meeting Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday with a representation to resolve the issue threatening an indefinite strike and staging Rasta Rokos if no decision was taken.
