Tripartite discussions key in implementing labour reforms: Tomar

The minister assured that amendments in labour legislation will be done keeping in mind the welfare of the working class

The labour and employment minister Narendra Singh Tomar met the central trade unions on Tuesday and said that tripartite consultations would be a key in moving ahead with labour reforms for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

In their first meeting with the union minister, the trade unions raised their concerns over the amendments in certain labour Acts in Rajasthan, proposed amendments in certain labour laws at the Centre, delay in policy implementation and reiterated the 10-point chart of demands.

"Certain decisions such as monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation subscribers and rise in wage-ceiling to Rs 15,000 per month have been delayed for long even after the Cabinet's approval under the United Progressive Alliance government. We told the minister to implement those," said B N Rai, general secretary of the Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh.

The minister assured the trade unions of implementation of the policy within the next two weeks, said Rai. The three-hour meeting was attended by Minister of State for Labour and Employment Vishnu Dev Sai, Labour Secretary Gauri Kumar senior officials and representatives of 12 trade unions.

According to a press release issued by the ministry, Tomar assured that "amendments in labour legislation will be done keeping in mind the welfare of the working class."

The unions also emphasized on regularizing the work of various tripartite committees constituted in the ministry, the press release stated. "More attention may be paid to the issues of minimum wages, contract workers, home based workers and construction workers," said the labour ministry.

"All the trade unions unanimously presented their concerns to the minister who sound convincing to act to the issues raised. Unions welcomed the courtesy call from the minister within one month of taking charge and he assured us that tripartite consultations would be one area which will be strengthened under the NDA rule," said A K Padmanabhan, President of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

The NDA government also proposed certain amendments to various acts - Factories Act, 1948, Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986, Minimum Wages Act, 1948, etc. The trade unions also pitched in their suggestions to the changes proposed in these laws.

"The government has suggested a National Floor Level Minimum Wages and this was rejected by the unions. However, there is no mention about how the minimum wages would be fixed. There should be a scientific approach.

The government has to have a clear understanding," said Padmanabhan.

"There has to be harsh punishments in case of violation of any labour law by the employers. We told the minister to re-examine this," asserted Rai.

The unions condemned the Rajasthan government's move to amend certain sections of the Factories Act, Contract Labour Act and Industrial Dispute Act.