Mazdoor Sangh to protest against labour reforms

Trade union had so far been supporting government

The resistance to the proposed labour law reforms has intensified with the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), an RSS affiliate, deciding to go on an agitation against the government.

The trade union, which has been supporting the government for quite some time now, has given a call for dharna and demonstrations across the country on July 8.

The BMS will also decide on a national strike on August 14. All central trade unions except the BMS have already given a call for a strike on September 2. The RSS trade union, however, will not participate in it. 

The BMS had stayed away from last year’s nationwide strike in September and since then, it has not participated from joint protests done by central trade unions including CITU, AITCU, INTUC, HMS and AICCTU.   The change in BMS’s stand has come during the two-day convention in Nagpur. Expressing its “dissatisfaction” over government’s “callout and lethargic attitude on the welfare of workers”, the BMS has said that inspite of its detailed resolution submitted to the government on stopping “anti-labour reforms”, the government showed “least respect” towards the promises it had given to workers.

The BMS also launched a scathing attack on FDI, banking reforms and privatisation of PSUs. Besides going on nationwide agitation on July 8, the BMS will educate MPs on the issue of “anti-worker reforms”.

The government, on the other hand, is adamant on amending labour laws for “ease of doing business”.

In an unprecedented move, the government even took a tough stand at the International Labour Conference in Geneva which ended on June 10. Minister of State for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya emphatically said that India would  go ahead with the reforms. 

 The reforms would make hire and fire easy.

It would be difficult to register trade unions and factories with up to 300 workers need not require government permission for closing, laying off or retrenchment.

Small factories with up to 40 workers would be exempted from 14 labour laws and have the option to opt for PF and health schemes available.