RSS affiliate BMS welcomes trend of 'correcting mistakes'

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 28

A day after Union Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar said that state governments’ amendments to labour laws would not be approved by the central government “in their current form”, RSS affiliated trade union Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) on Thursday voiced appreciation on the "bold stand" taken by the Narendra Modi government on "many issues related to labour raised by the organisation through countrywide protest". 

BMS also welcomed the UP Government's decision of setting up a migrant commission. The reverse trend of "correcting the mistake" has started with first UP Government followed by Rajasthan Government, a statement by BMS said, asking other state governments also to follow it.

However, BMS president CK Saji Narayanan also added that without trade union representatives on board it will remain an exercise merely to supply “cheap labour” to industries, "looking at the general attitude of the policy advisors in the Government".

The UP Government needs to redraft the terms of reference to include dignified treatment to migrant labours, according to Narayanan, president of the right wing trade union.

"Prime Minister Modi in his speech on stimulus package gave thrust to labour, farmers and small scale industries which are a deviation from his predecessor’s economic packages which were benefiting big business houses and corporates.

"Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman during her declarations on the financial package categorically said Government will not take the ordinance route for a change of labour laws; which is a clear reply to the four states that took ordinance route to change labour law.

"Rajeev Kumar, Vice Chairman of NITI Ayog, also said ‘reforms do not mean complete abolition of labour laws’.

"The Labour Ministry has also objected the states’ ordinance route on the suspension of labour laws.

Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar also has said the complete suspension is not labour reforms based on settled national and international positions.

"All these expose the blunder of ordinance route adopted by four states and a clear direction that it is time to withdraw the ordinances.

"UP, MP, Gujarat states have brought ordinances to suspend labour laws and Kerala Government brought ordinance to nullify a High Court order prohibiting compulsorily cut of one month’s salary of its employees.” 

Further, the trend of increasing working hours from eight hours to twelve hours was started by Rajasthan Government and adopted by nearly 15 state Governments, according to the BMS.

Narayanan said now the reverse trend of "correcting the mistake" has started with first UP Government reverting to 8 hours followed by Rajasthan Government. BMS demands other state governments also to follow it.

"India should not discard its noble tradition of social dialogue and Governments should not be shy of talking to trade unions. Every change in labour laws should be made only by consulting with trade unions. BMS will continue to exhaust all democratic means to persuade governments to address the concerns raised by it," the BMS said.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.