Unions take up objections to Rajasthan proposals with labour minister

Trade unions on Tuesday strongly objected to labour reforms proposed by the Rajasthan government as well as lack of specifics in proposed fixing of Minimum Wages Act by the Centre at a meeting with Union Labour Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

The unions condemned the Rajasthan government's proposal to amend certain sections of the Factories Act, Contract Labour Act and Industrial Disputes Act, said B N Rai, general secretary of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh. According to the proposals, the state wouldn't require the Centre's permission to retrench up to 300 employees against the current 100. Another amendment says the Contract Labour Act will be applicable to companies with more than 50 workers against the current 20, while the Factories Act will be applicable to units with more than 20 employees against the current 10 in case of companies not using electricity, and 40 from 20 for the companies using electricity.

Relevant Bills in this regard might be introduced in the Assembly the next month and after the passage these will be sent to the President for his assent. Tomar assured the unions that tripartite consultations would be a key for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in moving ahead with labour reforms.

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\".

Unions demanded harsh punishment in case of any labour law violation by employers, Rai said. "We told the minister to examine this," Rai said. On the Centre's proposal to have a national floor for the minimum wages, unions questioned the lack of methodology for fixing the rate. \"The government has suggested a national floor level of wages. 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 A K Padmanabhan, president of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

Unions demanded expeditious decisions on minimum monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to the subscribers of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) and a raise in the ceiling for wages to Rs 15,000 from Rs 6,500 for availing benefits of EPFO schemes.

"Certain decisions such as monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to EPFO subscribers and increase in wage-ceiling to Rs 15,000 per month have been delayed for long even after the Cabinet's approval under the previous United Progressive Alliance government. We told the minister to implement those," said Rai.

The minister assured the unions of implementation of these policies 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.

The unions also emphasised on regularising 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.

The NDA government also proposed certain amendments to various central Acts - Factories Act, 1948, Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986, Minimum Wages Act, 1948, etc.