T’puram: Leader of opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday alleged that the mass layoff of around 1,000 employees following the closure of the Kochi and Kozhikode offices of US-based medical coding company CorroHealth was unacceptable and accused the company of using the provisions of the new labour codes introduced by Centre as a cover for the action.In a statement, Vijayan said the layoffs were a clear example of how the labour codes introduced for the benefit of corporate capital would adversely affect workers. He said the previous LDF govt had taken a firm stance that the new labour codes, which it described as anti-worker, would not be implemented in Kerala. Left trade unions had also opposed them.Vijayan said the new labour codes had not been notified or implemented in Kerala and, therefore, the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 should apply. Under the Act, he said, carrying out such a mass layoff without prior permission from the govt was completely illegal. He alleged that the company’s willingness to openly violate the law reflected the indifference of the state govt and the labour department, accusing them of remaining passive while corporate companies threw workers onto the streets.He alleged that the labour codes had effectively become a licence for employers to dismiss workers without prior notice or adequate compensation. The action by CorroHealth, he said, showed that the new labour reforms would adversely affect employees in IT-enabled and allied sectors as well. He urged the state govt not to surrender before what he described as the arrogance of the company’s management.Vijayan demanded that all the dismissed employees be reinstated immediately and that they be paid their entitled wages until they were taken back. He also said he had written to chief minister V D Satheesan urging the state govt not to implement the anti-worker provisions of the new labour codes. He added that the Opposition would remain at the forefront of efforts to protect workers’ rights.
