LABOUR LAWS REFORMS

In the name of reforms and ease of doing business, many labour laws have been amended. Present govt. proposed four labour codes, consolidating 44 labour laws. But during these four years none of the labour code was presented in the Parliament. Only Wages Act 2017 was presented in Parliament. This Act will replace 4 laws i.e.  Minimum Wages Act, Wages payment Act, Equal wages Act and Bonus Act. Besides this two more code bills are also under process one related to social security and another related to job and profession.

But without getting these bills passed by the Parliament, Govt. has implemented some of the amendments. First attack on workers was unleashed by amending Factories Act.  According to amendment the no. of workers was increased from 10 to 20 for the factories run by power and 20 to 40 run without power.  Thus about 70% factories were put outside the purview of Factories Act and the workers working in these factories were deprived from protection of these laws. After amendment of 2015, the employer has been permitted to call the women workers to work in night shift.  Third amendment was made in 2016 and according to this the limit of over time has been enhanced from 50 hours to 100 hours, for heavy work it is 115 hours and for the work of public interest it is increased as 125 hours.  So in the name of public interest, the employer has been given power to compel the worker to work on overtime for 125 hours in a quarter.

 Second big attack was made under National Employability Mission under which the worker can be engaged as Apprentice in the place of permanent or contract worker and he will be paid minimum stipend and can be engaged for three years which was 6 months earlier. Thus so many industrialists are retrenching the permanent workers and engaging new workers on apprentice.

Third big attack now has come in the form of fixed term employment. In so many sectors this govt. has introduced fixed term employment in place of permanent job, and an impression has been created that all statutory benefits will be provided to the workers engaged under this. But what will be the fate of workers after that fixed term is not decided. The period of fixed term has also been left to the industrialists. They will decide as to for how much period worker is to be engaged. For such type of workers engaged under fixed term, the EPF contribution will be deposited by the Govt. This incentive given by the Govt. proves that the fixed term employment will be for three years only. After fixed term what will be the position of unemployment has been ignored by the Govt.

Thus the present Govt. making all amendments in labour sector for the benefit of industrialists and corporate in the name of ease of doing business and the rights of workers are being snatched slowly and  our  country is moving ahead towards slavery system or bonded labour system again which was defeated by consistent struggle of workers.