Taking offence at the lack of Government initiative to take any steps to negate the August 6, 2003, Supreme Court Judgement against a "fundamental", "legal / statutory", "moral or equitable" workers right to go on strike, all the major Central Trade Unions, including CITU, AITUC, AICCTU, TUCC and UTUC-LS, except the BMS and the INTUC, have decided to observe a strike on February 24, 2004.

The proposed strike will also wash the shine off the NDA Government by targeting its "anti-people" economic policies, "at the behest of the IMF / WB / WTO", resulting in "worsening economic situation, galloping unemployment, growing poverty, reckless privatisation and closures and dilatory tactics to enact law for unorganised sector workers."

In a separate statement released on January 6, 2004, the 'All India State Govt Employees Federation' and 'Confederation of Central Govt Employees & Workers', welcomed the decision and decided to re-schedule their earlier call for a strike on identical issues, from February 11 to February 24, 2004, in the interest of total unity of the working class in action.

Bank Officers will also observe the February 24 strike opposing the Governments privatisation policies, allowing private banks to invest in small private sector banks, which is seen as a step towards easier take-overs and mergers. All India Bank Officers' Confederation, General Secretary, Mr. Shantha Raju, said they were opposed to the move towards amendment of the Industrial Disputes Act and other labour regulations, curtailing rights of trade unions.

This is seen as a follow up of the unanimous resolve, to build mass awareness campaign against the SC decision by demonstrations taken throughout the country and observe a National Protest Day, including country-wide strike action, taken at the National Convention held in Delhi on September 26, 2003. The Convention was participated by almost the entire trade union movement, represented by all national and a large number of independent trade unions, federations of Railway Employees, Bank Employees, Newspaper Employees, Airline Employees, etc.