Labour Panel Report Unlikely By October 15

The report of the Second National Commission on Labour is expected by 15th October this year minister of state for labour Muni Lal told the Rajya Sabha Thursday. However, members of the commission, which are tasked with rewriting the umbrella legislation relating to labour, say this deadline is unrealistic and predict that the commission would have to be given an extension.

Although the commission has finished its travels on its data collection mission and will have a draft report ready by the end of September, there are issues relating to the approach of the commission which are worrying some members.

For instance, at the moment, the clear bias of the Commission appears to be to provide some protection to workers in small scale industries (SSI), while suggesting a different set of laws to cover workers in large industries.

"While it is true that SSI workers need protection, all this move will do is inundate the courts with legal cases. For instance, a car driver working in an SSI will be governed by a different set of laws from a driver working in a large industry." Said a source who is a member of the commission, predicting that this move will choke up labour courts.

There is s strong feeling that most of the problems of labour and the effective implementation of labour law is thwarted by the fact that labour is on the Concurrent List. The Commission will recommend placing labour on the State List, so that those states which want investment can use amended labour laws to leverage competitiveness.

However, those expecting fewer state controls on labour and fewer laws governing labour will be disappointed by the Second Labour Commission. As it looks now, the report "will be neither exciting nor extraordinary". The report is expected to be silent on the crucial issue of an exit policy. However, all the proposals are still at the discussion stage, these sources added.