Centre agrees to further discussions with trade unions on Labour Codes

Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya meets with Central Trade Unions to discuss Labour Codes and Employment Linked Incentive scheme.

Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has agreed to hold further discussions on the implementation of the four Labour Codes with the Central Trade Unions, union leaders said on Wednesday. The Minister’s assurance came during a round table meeting with the CTUs, where ten unions alleged that the Codes are in favour of big corporations.

The meeting reflected differing priorities – while the meeting’s agenda was to discuss the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) schemes recently announced in the Union Budget, the ten CTUs said they had raised concerns about the four Codes and submitted a detailed memorandum to Mr. Mandaviya on the new Unified Pension Scheme, their demand to restore the non-contributory Old Pension Scheme, and to convene the Indian Labour Conference, and other issues. The meeting was also attended by Minister of State for Labour Shobha Karandlaje.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mr. Mandaviya said that detailed discussions were held on the ELI schemes, which are projected to create two crore jobs in the country. “We are going to implement this scheme. We need inputs and suggestions from the CTUs on this scheme. We will use their suggestions while implementing the scheme,” he said, noting that unions are the voice of the workers and their insights are invaluable to shaping policies that are not only effective but also fair and inclusive.

However, even the Sangh Parivar-backed union, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, sought clarifications on the ELI. BMS vice president Raj Behari Sharma, who represented the organisation in the meeting, said that the ELI scheme is for the formal sector and asked the Centre to do something for the informal sector, which is in trouble. “There is huge spending for the formal sector, but the informal sector and workers in informal sector are suffering,” he said, though he added that the ELI will be a foolproof scheme as the subsidy will go directly to the worker and to the Employees Provident Fund. He also complained that the discussion points were not shared with the CTUs ahead of the meeting.

The trade unions said the discussion was not just on ELI. “We have raised a host of issues including the implementation of Labour Codes. The Minister said he is ready for further discussions on Labour Codes,” All India Trade Union Congress general secretary Amarjeet Kaur said.

Read the Labour Codes with the Central Trade Unions here

“On the issues of holding the Indian Labour Conference, non-implementation of existing labour laws, absence of inspections to ensure decent work conditions and guaranteeing occupational safety and health of workers, the Minister assured that he would have regular meetings on the issues raised by the unions including the Labour Codes for resolutions with mutual discussions,” Ms. Kaur added.