Workers affiliated to Central Trade Unions today went on a day- long industrial strike across the country to protest against price rise, alleged violation of labour laws and disinvestment in PSUs. Except Left-ruled West Bengal and Kerala, life remained largely unaffected by the strike which comes two months after a nation-wide bandh called by BJP and Left parties against the UPA Government's economic policies and the spiralling prices. Workers from sectors including coal, power, telecom, banks, insurance, defence, port and dock, road transport, petroleum and construction are participating in the countrywide strike under the banner of AITUC, CITU, HMS, AIUTUC, TUCC, AICCTU, UTUC and Congress-affiliated INTUC.Bank employees, mainly belonging to public sector, cooperative and rural banks, joined the strike opposing FDI in the banking sector and grant of licenses to private banks. The strike disrupted over 170 flights across the country, besides hitting road transportation. The call for the strike was given by the Central Trade Unions of which INTUC President G Sanjeeva Reddy is the convener. Talking to AIR, AITUC general secretary Gurudas Dasgupta said, strike has begun all over the country and those employed in private sector are also participating in many places. Normal life was hit in West Bengal and Kerala with air and road transport remaining disrupted in the wake of the strike call which took the shape of a bandh in the two Left-ruled states. In Kerala, the strike was total in transport sector with buses, trucks and taxis keeping off the roads.However, the protest did not affect public utilities like power and water supply. Trains are also running without any disruption. In Tamil Nadu, the day-long strike evoked lukewarm response as normal life remained unaffected. But, flight services on the Chennai-Kolkata route were hit as six flights were cancelled. In a five-point charter, Trade Unions have also demanded that disinvestment in public sectors be stopped and substantial investment for social security in the unorganized sector be made.In Uttarakhand, public working in Banks excluding State Bank Of India and some other Government undertaking offices were affected due to strike called by the Central Trade Unions today. According to reports, there was no affect of the strike on normal life in the state. In Kerala, normal life was badly affected by the 24 hour general strike. A bandh like situation prevails in most parts of the state. No untoward incident has been reported from any part of Kerala. Educational institutions, business establishmnts and industrial units remained closed. State transport serivce did not operate and rare few vehicles were seen on road.AIR correspondent R.K. Pillai reports from Thiruvananthapuram that in Kerala, twenty four hours of inconvenience to the general public will come to an end in another three hours from now. For majority of institutions and the working class the day turned out to be an undeclared holiday. However, for the IT sector of Kerala it was business as usual. Taxis and three wheelers did not operate in most parts of the state. State transport buses are also off the road. However, trains operated smoothly providing the much needed relief to commuters. Well, despite all these, whether strikes make any difference in price rise of essential items continues to be a puzzle to the general public.