More than 20 crore workers, employees and the rural labour came out in massive protest action on the first day of the 2-day strike

In a press release issued by the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), based on the reports received at its Headquaters till 1 PM on 28 March 2022, more than 20 crore workers, employees and the rural labour came out in massive protest action all over the country on the first day (28 March 2022) of the 2-day strike. The strike call had been given by Joint Platform of Ten Central Trade Unions (INTUC , AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC) and Independent Sectoral Federations/Associations.

The press release said, "the workers and employees in banks, insurance companies did not enter their work places anywhere in India. The coal, steel, post, oil, copper, telecom sector workers struck from the morning of 28th March. Electricity Workers went on strike in all the states, including in Maharashtra, where the Government had invoked ESMA. The Kerala state unions began strike action from midnight of 27-28 March itself. The employees of Railways and Defence sector are reported to have organized militant demonstrations at more than one thousand places across the country. The Anganwadi, ASHA, Mid-day Meal and Domestic Workers, Construction, Beedi and Agricultural Workers, Hawkers-vendors are participating in protest actions in several hundreds of spots in Chakka jam, road roko, rail roko programmes in various parts of the country. The Road Transport workers in Haryana began their strike by picketing at Depots from early morning of 28th March, also in defiance of ESMA"

The AITUC pointed out, "there is bandh like situation in the states of Tamilnadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Assam, Haryana, Jharkhand. The strike is substantial in the industrial areas in the states of Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Bihar, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. The Security Workers even in Sikkim have gone on strike. The Industrial areas of Delhi, HP, Gujarat, J&K, are reported on strike. 50000 Government employees picketed Central Government offices in 300 places in Tamilnadu. Income Tax department employees too have joined the strike. Even Fishermen did not venture into sea in the morning."

The wrokers' strike also received support from the farmers. "The farmers have mobilized in rural areas as per the decision of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, in favour of the Strike action, pressing for their six demands, along with the support to Workers demands", the press release pointed out.