Demand for right to work legislation, social security coverage

The Indian Labour Conference today pushed for sops to working class such as a minimum assured pension of Rs 1000 per month, universal social security coverage and enactment of a legislation on right to work on the lines of right to information and right to education.
The conference also recommended minimum wages for workers employed in central government schemes such as Anganwadi, Mid Day Meal and Asha and recognising them as "workers" instead of voluntary workers.
The 45th ILC session of the apex trade unions and employers' organisation was attended by various state labour ministers representatives from both employer and employee side and officials from other departments and agencies.

Hailing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement at the inaugural function yesterday about creation of a national social security fund and a minimum pension of Rs 1000 per month, the conference suggested extending the pension benefit for the entire working population of the country.
The pension provision under the Employees Pension Scheme is a mandatory scheme for workers employed through the employer.
Nearly 27 per cent of pensioners get a monthly pension of less than Rs 500 at present and about 56 per cent get pension between Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 a month, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Kodikunnil Suresh had earlier stated.

The Ministry has requested the Government to shoulder the burden of the funds required for this purpose since neither the employers nor the employees are willing to share this cost.

The conference, which concluded today, further resolved that pension benefits should also be responsive to price rise.
Significantly, the conference pressed for "enacting legislations for right to work and pension similar to the right to information and right to education".
Seeking enhanced social security coverage for anganwadi, mid day meal, Asha and for those engaged under Sarva Siksha Abhiyan schemes, the conference recommended that they should get pension, gratuity and maternity benefits and aam aadmi bima yojana and rashtriya swasthiya bima yojana should be extended to them.