Karnataka: Belagavi session to give gig workers bill a miss

Belagavi: The Congress government will not introduce the much-discussed Bill on gig workers’ welfare in the ongoing Belagavi session of the legislature apparently due to resistance from aggregators and opposition that Labour Minister Santosh Lad faces from some Cabinet colleagues.

This drew flak from labour unions and the gig workers’ fraternity, who expressed “extreme disappointment” at the bill not being tabled despite being a manifesto promise of the Congress ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.

In an exclusive interview with DH published on October 14, Lad had exuded confidence that the Bill would be passed in the Winter Session.

The Bill was placed in the Cabinet meeting on December 6, but it was deferred for want of more details.

The Bill promises to create a corpus for the welfare of gig workers through the levy of a cess on every transaction on aggregator platforms. The proposed legislation also seeks to regulate the employment conditions of gig workers. For example, the draft Bill said that no gig worker could be fired without a prior 14-day notice and without giving valid reasons in writing.

Sources close to Lad said aggregators are against the proposal to levy a 1-2% cess on a per-transaction basis. They are not keen on revealing the details of transactions.

It is also said that some ministers have apprehensions on the Bill, especially the impact it would have on aggregators’ business interests.

When contacted, Lad conceded that the Bill will not be tabled in the Belagavi session. However, he reaffirmed his commitment, stating: “In the coming days, the Bill will be cleared in the Cabinet. We will get a Cabinet approval soon and table it in the upcoming Budget session.”

Trade unions unanimously condemned the delay. Slamming the government, Satyanand Mukund, state secretary, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), said: “There have been debates, consultations and suggestions from trade unions and aggregators on the Bill. The number of gig workers and their problems are increasing by the day. Without any regulation on their employment, this work force of 4-5 lakh cannot continue like this. The Congress should be accountable for their manifesto promise.”

AITUC will hold a protest on Thursday in Belagavi on six issues, including the failure to pass the gig workers Bill.