The Hindu : Labour panel report anti-worker: CPI

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 26, 2002

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Labour panel report anti-worker: CPI

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI SEPT. 25. The Communist Party of India today described the recommendations of the second National Labour Commission as ``anti-worker and anti-people'' and demanded that the report be ignored and suggested the convening of a full labour tripartite to discuss the issues instead of implementing it unilaterally.

The party alleged that the recommendations take away all protection from the workers and were only to the advantage of employers. ``The Commission could well have been named a `National Commission for Employers' rather than a National Labour Commission.''

These views were conveyed by the CPI delegation, led by its general secretary, A.B. Bardhan, and the secretary, V.V. Raghavan, who were invited by the Labour Minister, Sahib Singh Verma, here on Tuesday. The delegation also presented a memorandum outlining objections to the recommendations.

The CPI said the terms of reference itself suggested changes in the industrial law within the framework of neo-liberal globalisation and the so-called competitive market economy. It was to suggest ``labour reforms'' in tune with the ongoing economic reforms. ``The product of its labour had thus been pre-determined.''

While accepting that there had been a sharp increase in closures, industrial sickness and job losses, the report had based its recommendations strictly within the framework of guidelines laid down by the IMF, the World Bank and the WTO. The Commission seemed to be unaware of the general talk of ``reappraisal'', ``mid-term review'' and ``course correction'' in the wake of misery and human distress on account of liberalisation. ``Instead of stressing the need to enforce labour laws so as to protect the interests of working masses,'' it had chosen the reverse route of proposing the ``flexibility'' of labour laws and their total dilution. ``This can only lead to an attack on the interests of the toiling masses, and a policy of hire and fire.''

The CPI objected to ``restricting'' the very definition of a worker and thus removing the protection conferred by the labour laws, permitting industries to retrench or close down at will, holding of secret ballot for strike, making collective bargaining difficult, contract and casual labour, and changes in social security measures.

It said the so-called self-financed social security was ``being smuggled in'' while the responsibility of the state as well as the employer was being curtailed.

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