Central trade union and independent sectoral federations and associations have collectively decided to go on a day’s strike if the government decides to implement ‘pro-employer’ four labour codes without following the democratic process of consultations with their representatives.
The government said that the four labour codes — the Code on Wages, the Industrial Relations Code, the Code on Social Security, and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code — were meant to simplify and consolidate existing labour laws.
Union Ministry of Labour and Employment sources had earlier said that all the states and Union Territories are expected to complete harmonised draft rules under four labour codes for its implementation.
The platform of the Central Trade Unions and independent Sectoral Federations/Associations is organising a National Convention of Workers in the national capital on Tuesday to decided future course of action, they said in a statement to media.
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) president Dr G Sanjeeva Reddy said after the finalisation of the labour codes, the Ministry of Labour and Employment did not discuss them with the trade unions. “They have not been accepting our demands. That’s why the meeting has been called on Tuesday to chalk out next course of action including the date for one-day strike to press our demand,” he added.
This Convention is being held in the background of the Government’s stubborn stand to implement four labour codes which have been formulated without the democratic procedure of bilateral discussions with the Central Trade Unions and then without holding Indian Labour Conference (not held since 2015) for discussions, the statement read.
The three codes, the statement pointed out, were introduced in parliament in September 2020 (during Covid-19 crises on) when total opposition was already on walkout from both the houses of parliament, so no discussions held even in parliament.
“These Codes brought in the name of “Ease of doing Business” are anti-labour and pro-employers. Apart from this the Government has not responded till date to our seventeen-point charter of demands including the Labour Code issue,” top representatives of trade unions like INTUC, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Majdoor Sabha (HMS), and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), said in the statement.
A declaration will also be adopted in the convention with details of future campaign programmes.
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