After the massive nationwide mobilisations of workers against the labour codes on 26th November 2025, the joint platform of central trade unions have announced a fresh phase of intensified agitations, culminating in a countrywide General Strike in February 2026.

Groundxero | 9 December 2025

The Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions (CTUs) and Sectoral Federations/Associations has announced a fresh phase of intensified nationwide protests against the four labour codes, culminating in a countrywide General Strike in February 2026. The final date of the strike will be declared on 22 December 2025, the platform said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The joint platform—comprising INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC—said it resolved to intensify the campaign among the working class against the labour codes, exposing the false propaganda of the government and corporate media serving the employer classes and defy any effort to impose the “anti-labour, pro-corporate” labour codes on the working class.

In a meeting on 8 December, the Joint Platform of CTUs reviewed the situation following the Union government’s notification of the four labour codes. According to the CTUs, the working class has shown a “spontaneous and widespread” response, with protests erupting across workplaces nationwide.

The CTUs congratulated the working class for their widespread immediate response in resistance against the labour codes and the massive participation on 26th November 2025 in the protest action. They pointed out that even non-unionised workers and members of the BJP-aligned BMS joined demonstrations—including burning copies of the codes—reflecting deep discontent across the workforce. There were widespread protests among the journalists as well.

On 26 November 2025, districts, blocks, industrial hubs and workplaces across India saw what the CTUs described as “massive mobilisations”. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) joined in large numbers, linking the agitation against labour codes with their resistance to the Seed Bill 2025, the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, and their ongoing demands for legal guarantee of MSP and loan waivers. Students and youth also turned out in large numbers.

The CTUs lashed out at what they called “unprecedented false propaganda” on the so called ‘benefits’ of the labour codes to the workers by the government and corporate media, including advertisements in mass scale, paid news and articles supporting the codes. This, they argued, reflects “panic among the ruling classes”.

For the first time, all the opposition parties came together demanding the repeal of the labour codes. The trade unions welcomed the move and urged parties to continue this support till the codes are repealed.

The meeting of the CTUs also condemned the recent Indigo Airlines-related incident, calling it an example of “height of corporate arrogance” and “total negligence of the safety of the workers and the passengers”. The CTUs reiterated their long-standing warning that privatisation and monopolisation of strategic sectors in the hands of the corporate would lead to such crises.

The government must “learn lessons” from this experience, they said, and immediately halt the hasty privatisation moves especially in strategic sectors like electricity, petroleum, railways, defence, telecom and banking.

The CTUs have decided to build up phased consistent struggle till the labour codes are withdrawn. The trade unions will organise the protest actions at the workplace/local/district/state levels. Trade unions at the state level will meet within a week and chalk out detailed agitation plans for massive campaigns including jathas, rallies, mobilisations, door to door campaigns etc. This will build toward the General Strike in February 2026, marking the first phase of escalated national resistance to the labour codes.

The Joint Platform will coordinate with Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and approach platforms of various sections to intensify a united struggle against the anti-people policies of this pro-corporate communal government. The CTUs have urged all opposition parties, youth, students, and “all sections of the people” to support the struggle to protect workers’ basic rights, defend federal democratic structures, and resist the pro-corporate, communal policies of the Union government.