NEW DELHI: The new labour codes appear to have hit another roadblock with the RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) raising serious objections to some of the provisions in two codes — Industrial Relations (IR) and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions.
In a meeting held by the Union Labour Minister Bhupendra Yadav last week, the government failed to iron out differences with central trade unions who expressed doubts on the four labour codes, an issue hanging fire for two years.
As part of its labour reform initiatives, the Union government has merged 29 labour laws into four codes wages, industrial relations, social security and occupational safety, health and working conditions. While the code on wages was passed in 2019, the other three were passed by Parliament in September 2020.
The implementation of the new labour codes has missed many deadlines since then.
The BMS, the largest trade union in the country, has protested against the anti-worker provisions in these two codes in the past too. Speaking to this paper, BMS chief Hiranmay Pandya said the outfit would take to agitations if the government failed to accept its demands. We will collectively decide on the nature of the agitation later.
“During our discussion with the Union minister, we spoke to him about our opposition to some of the provisions in the two codes. Though he heard us, we haven’t received any response yet,” he said. While other central trade unions demand the withdrawal of the four codes, Pandya said they have welcomed the other two codes on wages and social security.
Talking about the contentious provisions in the industrial relations code, Pandya said it would only benefit the employer rather than safeguard the interest of the worker. The code, which deals with industrial disputes, trade unions, and safeguards against retrenchments and lay-offs, proposes that companies which employ workers up to 300 can sack people and close units without the approval of the government.
Earlier, the threshold was up to 100 workers. “Most Indian companies employ less than 100 staff and this proposal will benefit corporates. Already some of the large corporations are taking advantage of the provision,” said Pandya.
He also points out the anti-worker clauses in the code of occupational safety, health and working conditions. Pandya says that the new code does not allow contract workers in any core activity. They can, however, be employed only in non-core activities such as loading and unloading operations, housekeeping, sanitation, canteen, security and running hospitals, among others. According to the new code, the limit has been increased to 20 workers for premises where the manufacturing process is carried out using power.
Union protests against anti-worker provisions
The BMS, the largest trade union in the country, has protested against the anti-worker provisions in these two codes in the past too. Speaking to this paper, BMS chief Hiranmay Pandya said the outfit would take to agitations if the government failed to accept its demands. We will collectively decide on the nature of
agitation later.