Major trade unions across India have gone on a nationwide strike to protest the government's alleged "indifference" to their demand for better wages and "anti-worker" changes in labour laws. Over a million workers from at least 10 central trade unions are part of the strike lead by left-leaning unions. The notable absentee among the unions is the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, affiliated to the ruling BJP.

Similarly with autorickshaw unions in big cities like Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad joining the strike those using public transport will have a tough time today.

#BharatBandh: Nurses Union protest outside Safdarjung Hospital against government demanding salary hike, reports ANI pic.twitter.com/kXSAf3FrWG

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The unions went ahead with the strike even after the government made a last-minute effort to pacify them by announcing an increase in the minimum wages.

The government had announced that it was raising minimum wages of unskilled workers from Rs 246 per day to Rs 350 per day.

This was "based on deliberations in the meeting of Minimum Wage Advisory Board held on 29-08-2016", of which trade unions are also a part, claimed the government.

The unions were demanding the minimum wages to be raised to Rs 18,000 per month.