Labour law amendments on agenda of Indian Labour Conference

The NDA government's labour reforms which drew flak from trade unions will be part of the agenda for discussion at the 46th Indian Labour Conference (ILC) scheduled later this month.
The decision to include proposed labour law amendments in the agenda for discussion at the conference was taken here in a meeting of Standing Labour Committee headed by Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya.
"The 11 central trade unions had proposed to discuss labour law reforms in the 46th ILC scheduled between July 20-21. The committee has decided to put the labour law amendments on the agenda for discussion in the ILC," All India Trade Union Congress Secretary D L Sachdev told PTI.

He said, "The unions have give a written request to include this item on agenda for discussion because certain proposed labour law amendments are not in the interest of workers and dilute the social security coverage available to them."
The deliberations on the agenda item will be significant in view of ongoing protests by trade unions against the certain proposed amendments that are part of NDA government's labour reforms for improving ease of doing business to give a push to the 'Make in India' initiative.
The unions have strongly opposed some of the amendments that include norms related to easing retrenchment, lay offs and closer of units provision and forming unions under the proposed New Industrial Relations Code.

As many as 11 trade unions, including BJP-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, will observe nationwide strike on September 2 against various issues.

Besides the labour reforms, the issues which have been listed on the agenda for discussion in the forthcoming conference are employment and employability, the removal of wage ceiling for payment of bonus, social security and action taken on 43rd, 44th and 45th ILCs.
The agenda item 'removal of wage ceiling for payment of bonus' was also considered by the committee's meeting held in January.
At present, the employees employed on wage or salary of up to Rs 10,000 per month are entitled to bonus under the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965. It is proposed under an amendment bill of the Act to increase the cap to Rs 20,000 per month.

Stakeholders however want the ceiling removed altogether.
ILC provides the government its suggestions after holding comprehensive discussions on wide range of issues.
During the 10-year long UPA regime, the government called six labour conferences. The NDA government had called five labour conferences during their term from 1998 to 2004.
ILC, known as the 'Labour Parliament', provides platform to employers' and employees' representatives to share their ideas, reservations and suggestions with the government to improve industrial relations in the country.