Initiating a discussion on the Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, Congress member Kodikunnil Suresh said that instead of dialogue, the government has chosen to dominate labourers.
Suresh, a former Union Minister of State for Labour, said the strike call given by workers on Thursday was a “warning signal” and reflected the government’s policy failure in dealing with the labour force.
“Today’s strike is a warning signal. Central trade unions, public sector unions, banking employees, electricity and transport employees, and unorganised labour; such a broad alliance against the government is indicative of policy failure,” he said.
The Congress leader said the law mandates workers to give a 14-day notice before going on strike.
Pointing out that participation of women in labour force has declined, Suresh said the new codes do not help overcome this problem.
“The UPA government was a pro-labour government unlike the current regime. We introduced MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), upheld social justice, introduced Food Security Act and helped labourers across sectors,” he said, also accusing the government of privatising Public Sector Undertakings.Samajwadi Party leader Afzal Ansari questioned the government’s legislative practices and asked why it has to amend laws within five years of their enactment.
“This amendment is a cover-up of the law’s shortcomings,” he said.
Ansari said there is no safety for labourers in India.
“During Covid, migrant labourers were treated horrifically by the Union government. They were lathi-charged and left without any means to support themselves. Time and again, this government has proved that they do nothing for the labourers,” he said.
Opposing the amendment bill, Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee said the original law had taken away the livelihood of the country’s labourers.
“Labour force is India’s key strength, after agriculture. This law gives away all powers to the employers,” Banerjee said.
He said the government is becoming more friendly with industrialists and removing checks for them.
“These are your heydays. But remember, everyday will not be a heyday. A day will come when the labourers and agricultural workers will show their power by giving their mandate against the government,” Banerjee said.
Shiv Sena-UBT member Arvind Sawant said the government was protecting industrialists and not labourers.
“For over 20 years, people have been working as contract labourers. If people keep working at the same wage for years, how will development happen?” Sawant asked.
He said when people are hired on fixed term contracts, they cannot take loans or get married as their jobs are not permanent.
“The law being brought and its provisions are dangerous. It is aimed at snatching the rights of workers. I oppose it,” Sawant said.
