Trade unions to organise labourer parliament

Interventions made by MPs, including those from Kerala, in labour-related issues will be scrutinised

In order to assess the crises in the labour sector caused by the wrong policies of the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre in the past 10 years and the challenges faced by workers, the Left trade unions are organising labourer parliaments in Kollam and Kottarakara.

While the interventions made by elected Opposition members, including those from Kerala, in labour-related issues will be scrutinised, the event will also provide an opportunity for workers from various sectors to directly interact with national trade union leaders. The labourer parliament will be held in Kottarakara on April 19 and Kollam on April 21.

All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) general secretary Amarjeet Kaur and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) general secretary Tapan Sen will inaugurate the events at Kottarakara and Kollam respectively. The parliament will be jointly organised by the Left trade unions CITU, AITUC, KTUC (M), KTUC (B), HMS, and TUCI.

Laws amended

“Under the pressure of corporates, the Modi government amended all the existing labour laws in the country and introduced four new labour codes to reduce the workers to a slave-like state. The main objectives of the codes were to abolish permanent employment, promote contract system, abolish the eight-hour work limit, limit the functions of the Labour department, abolish the right to organise and bargain, and eliminate tripartite negotiations,” said the union leaders at a press meet.

Crisis in traditional sectors

Pointing out that all traditional sectors, including cashew, fisheries and coir, are in crisis, they added that both the MPs from the district failed to protect the interests of the labourers.

“The reason for the crisis in the cashew sector is the import policy implemented by the Central government. The Kollam MP did not attend any of the protests organised by trade unions to protect the industry despite being invited. The Mavelikara MP also did not take a favourable position for the workers inside and outside Parliament on this issue,” said the leaders.