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After receiving a letter from ten Indian labour unions raising concerns over the changing labour laws scenario in India, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has taken serious cognizance and has appealed to the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi regarding the same.
In its response to the letter sent by the trade unions, the ILO has urged PM Modi to send a clear message to Central and state governments to uphold the country’s international commitments and encourage engagement in effective social dialogue. This letter has come in response to the last joint letter sent by trade unions, dated May 14.
In the latest letter written by well known trade unions like INTUC, AITUC and CITU, dated May 25, it has been brought to the notice of ILO, the “retrograde anti-labour exercise of the Government of India towards virtual nullification of most of the substantive laws in vogue in the country”. In this complaint, dated May 25, a list of states and how they have made amends to their labour laws within their respective jurisdictions has been specified. There is mention of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Assam, Bihar and Karnataka.
The complaint also emphasizes that Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat were suspending, among other laws, the Trade union Act, 1926 as well as Industrial Disputes Act which impinge on right to freedom of association and right to strike, respectively. Bringing the liability on the central government, the letter states that “Central Govt. had discussed on labour issues with Industry Associations in four groups in different dates from April 3rd to10th,2020 who have asked the Government to stall all trade union activities,” and it was on the insistence of Central government that state governments have taken these steps.
The complaint further states that state governments in connivance with the Centre have taken undue advantage of the lockdown “when no industrial action by workers is possible”. The letter also draws ILO’S attention to the violations of “Philadelphia Declaration of ILO” as well as ILO ‘Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and its Follow-up’ of 1998 caused due to these unwarranted labour reforms. The letter also calls out the government’s inaction towards protecting migrant workers whose exodus to their respective home states led to many deaths, while they were entitled to be protected under the Inter State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act 1979. The letter blames it on “tardy implementation, rather non-implementation of the provisions of this Act by the Governments, both at the state and the centre”.
The joint letter of trade unions dated May 25,
The response from ILO can be read here.
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