Trade unions prepare to confront govt. on reforms

BMS joins other unions; talks with Ministers fail

A more capital-friendly set of labour laws is deemed necessary by the Centre for an upswing in the manufacturing sector but its political cost may add to the woes of the Narendra Modi government during its first anniversary celebrations.

A meeting on Friday night between 11 central trade unions and three Union Ministers, failed to reach an agreement over a charter of demands that predates the Modi government. The discussions have been complicated by the Centre’s move to restrict trade unionism, lower wage standards and make it easier for companies to lay off workers.

National convention

A national convention on May 26 – the day the Modi government completes one year in office – of all trade unions, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), will announce a nationwide agitation plan.

The codification of labour laws — there are 44 central ones — under four categories, on wages, industrial relations, social security and safety and welfare, is a priority for the Modi government.

'Centre dismissive of trade union concerns'

Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told

The Hindu that the government would take into account all concerns raised by the unions and Friday’s meeting was only an informal one. “The government will engage with the unions, understand issues that they raise and seek to resolve them,” Mr. Pradhan said.

“It is an irony that on the day the government will be celebrating, all workers of the country will be reminding it that nothing has been done in the last one year,” said Baidya Nath Rai, president of RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh. The BMS was part of the trade union delegation that met Union Ministers on Friday.

Mr. Rai said that by asking certain Ministers to negotiate with the unions without formally designating a team, the Modi government was being dismissive of them.

Key demands

“One of the key demands in our charter is proper implementation of labour laws. Now, they have gone a step in the opposite direction and are dismantling existing laws,” Mr. Rai said.

The government and the industry argue that a simplified set of laws will be easier for small entrepreneurs to adhere to and workers to understand.

“They were not open-minded,” alleged R. Chandrasekheran, vice-president, INTUC.

“The government’s attitude is confrontational and trade unions will have no option but to launch an agitation,” Mr Chandrasekheran said. “The Ministers, instead of addressing the issues that we raised, were trivialising all our points.”