CHENNAI: The four new labour codes brought out by the Centre was done without proper consultation with the stakeholders, said R Geetha, adviser, Unorganised Workers Federation and President, National Federation of Unorganised and Migrant Worker here on Wednesday.
She was participating in a protest organised by the Unorganised Workers Federation in the city in collaboration with independent Central and State trade unions in support of their multi-point charter of demands, including the immediate withdrawal of the four new labour codes.
Geetha, who has been leading the protests nation-wide against the new labour codes, noted that the new laws were passed without any discussion in Parliament. They were passed when the Opposition members had staged a walk out.
She pointed out that the tripartite labour conference, introduced by Dr Ambedkar, was convened every year since 1942. But after the Narendra Modi-led BJP government came to power in 2014, the conference was done away with.
She said that the new laws were introduced in violation of ILO (International Labour Organization) convention which mandated a tripartite consultation while drafting new laws.
"In the organised sector we know that the right to strike has been taken away. The impact of this on the unorganised sector is more," she said.
The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020, doesn't ensure occupational safety to unorganised workers at all, neither agricultural workers nor fish workers or anyone, she noted.
Sema Narayanan, ex-president of Tamil Nadu Welfare Board, urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and the State government to pass a resolution condemning the four new labour codes.
K Natarajan, leader of the Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) said that there is an attempt from the part of the Centre to do away with all welfare boards functioning in states like Tamil Nadu and "loot" the funds available with the boards.
"As of now the boards, to a large extent take care of the welfare of unorganised workers and their families. They are functioning well in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. On the other hand, the Centre has no budgetry allocation for unorganised workers," he said.
Nearly 300 workers and office-bearers of over 50 trade unions, who participated in the demonstration raised slogans denouncing the new labour codes.
Among the multi-point charter of demands of the unorganised workers included allocation of 1% GST to all the unorganised workers' welfare boards.
They also sought an allocation of 3% from the Central and State budgets for the social welfare requirements of unorganised workers.
Late last month the Unorganised Workers and Employees Congress had opposed the new labour codes brought by the Modi government, alleging they are anti-labour and demanded their immediate withdrawal.
Addressing a press conference, chairman of the Unorganised Workers and Employees Congress, Udit Raj, claimed that the new labour codes usher in a dangerous trend, the Congress leader alleged that the old labour laws that protected the interests of workers, especially the unorganised workers, have been "murdered."
