Labour Minister to meet Central Trade Unions on employment linked incentive scheme

Union Labour Minister invites CTUs for meeting on ELI and UPS implementation

Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has invited all Central Trade Unions (CTUs) for an “introductory meeting” on Wednesday (August 27, 2024), in which issues such as the implementation of the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) announced in the budget and the implementation of the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) are likely to come up.

Ten CTUs in the Opposition camp have sent a letter to Mr. Mandaviya objecting the Centre’s decision to not to invite Congress-backed Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) and the All India Forward Bloc’s Trade Union Coordination Centre for the meeting. The CTUs have also decided to oppose any discussions on the ELI and the UPS in the meeting.

Talking to The Hindu, senior trade union leader Amarjeet Kaur said the ELI scheme was never discussed with the trade unions. “The Centre has announced it in the budget without any discussion. So we do not know why the Labour Minister wants to discuss a scheme that has already been implemented,” Ms. Kaur said adding that the decision to not to invite INTUC and UTUC is a continuation of the unilateral behaviour the Centre has been showing.

Mr. Mandaviya had started meeting the trade unions after taking over the charge of the Labour Ministry. It is for the first time that he convenes a meeting of all trade unions. He is also keen to get the consent of unions on implementing the four Labour Codes. The announcement of UPS had also invited criticism from the CTUs. They, including the Sangh Parivar’s trade union Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), had raised doubts over the continuation of contribution from the government employees under the UPS too.

The INTUC, protesting the Centre’s stand of leaving it out from the meetings, said it will try to forge unity among all trade unions on issues such as UPS and restoation of old pension scheme. “The Centre has been claiming that India is becoming an economic world power. If that’s the case, why the Centre needs a contribution from poor employees to give them pension,” INTUC national vice president R. Chandrasekharan asked.

Mr. Chandrasekharan said the UPS was neither discussed in Parliament nor with trade unions and the CTUs have opposed it. “There are certain nuances such as increasing the minimum pension or assuring 50% of the basic as pension which some of us may approve. But the fact that UPS is still a contributory pension scheme will not be approved by any employee,” he said adding that pension is a right for an employee who rendered his or her service for the development of the country and pension acts as a security at the time of old age.

“All social supportive systems are purposefully dismantled by this government. Their concept of economic policy is totally anti labour,” he said.