After farm laws, it’s time for Modi government to scrap four labour codes, say trade unions

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on repealing the three controversial farm laws, subsequent to farmers’ agitation, now it’s the trade unions building momentum to have the four labour codes scrapped.

Ten leading trade unions and independent associations, a signatory to a joint convention held on November 11 in New Delhi, are to hold nationwide demonstrations tomorrow (26th Nov) where the issue will be highlighted along with other demands.

The four labour codes on Industrial Relations, Social Security, Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions passed by Parliament in 2020, and on Wages in 2019, are expected to substitute 29 labour laws.

Talking to Deccan Herald over the phone, Tapan Sen, general secretary, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), said that the demand before the government is that the codes be scrapped. “The codes practically demolish the minimum protection that was available with workers,” he said.

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“The joint-platform of trade unions has decided to go for demonstrations, throughout the country by workers, and preferable with peasants together. The date, 26 November is the completion of one year of the last general strike, and this was also the beginning of the kisan struggle,” Sen said.

The Friday’s programme, that the unions have jointly undertaken, could be in the form of rallies, demonstrations, jathas, or dharna. The Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) is also taking up programmes to build pressure on the central government.

“We consider the four codes anti-labour. Any change in labour law should first be brought up before the Indian Labour Conference. We are happy that the Modi government has decided to repeal the farm laws. We now want that the four codes be taken back,” Chandra Prakash Singh, senior vice president INTUC & president, Bihar, told Deccan Herald. Singh was in Kolkata on Thursday to attend the annual conference of INTUC’s state youth wing.

Ajitesh Pandey, president of Bengal’s INTUC youth wing said that the joint declaration of unions has 12 demands. Besides scrapping the labour codes, there are other issues that unions want to raise their voice against.

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