THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has decided to constitute a special committee, including trade union representatives, to conduct a comprehensive study on the implementation of the Labour Code and submit actionable recommendations. The decision was finalised during a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister VD Satheesan at the Secretariat, held in the presence of Labour Minister Bindu Krishna and representatives from 22 trade unions.
The committee has been tasked with formulating practical inputs for drafting state-level rules supplementary to the Labour Code. It will be convened by the Labor Department Secretary and will feature the Additional Secretary of the Law Department as a member, alongside seven representatives from various labor unions and officials from the Labour Department. The panel is required to submit its report within 10 days of its formation.
Addressing the meeting, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan emphasised that a final decision regarding the implementation of the Labour Code will be taken only after considering legal parameters and consulting all stakeholders. He assured that the government will take measures within the legal framework to mitigate the impact of the new regulations and protect workers' rights, adding that the rules framed by Keralam should serve as a national model.
The state also decided to formally raise concerns with the Central Government regarding worker threshold limits specified under the code, advocating for a reduction of these thresholds. Furthermore, trade unions will be provided an opportunity to suggest amendments to the 2021 draft regulations, with the committee’s proposal draft being circulated to all unions. Other unions will also be allowed to present their views directly during committee sittings. Participating trade unions expressed a unified stance on prioritising worker interests, which, alongside the committee's final report, will form the basis for the state's finalised labour rules.
