Kolkata, Jan 3 (TIWN / IANS) The Central trade unions (CTUs) have urged West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee to take "positive steps" in the proposed general strike called by them.

The Central trade unions (CTUs) have called a two-day nationwide general strike on January 8 and 9 in protest against "pro-corporate, anti-national and anti-people policies of the BJP-led NDA government".

"We have written to the Chief Minister and urged her to take positive steps in the proposed general strike and solve issues relating to opening of closed units like Jessop, Hindustan Motors, Dunlop and revival of Kolkata and Haldia ports," said Subhas Mukherjee, Centre of India Trade Unions (CITU) West Bengal Committee President, on Wednesday.

He alleged the Central government did not take necessary steps for reviving state ports and closed units in the state.

He also said the Centre has started taking steps to privatise government-owned organisations.

The CTUs are concerned over the scrapping of 44 central labour laws and replacing them with the "four employer-friendly labour codes".