Unions oppose proposed changes in Factories Act

Trade unions have opposed the proposed changes in the Factories Act 1948 saying they would be against the interest of the working class.
"The proposed amendments like raising the threshold limit for triggering the provision of the Factories Act and change in definition of hazardous process are not tune with spirit of the law," Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh Zonal Secretary Pawan Kumar told PTI after a tripartite meeting convened by Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya to discuss the bill to amend the Act.
The Factories (Amendment) Bill, 2014 was introduced in Lok Sabha on August 7, 2014 to amend the Factories Act, 1948.

As per Act, a factory is a premise where manufacturing is undertaken with aid of power and at least 10 people are employed during the past 12 months (20 or more people if no power was used).
The Bill proposed to enable state government to raise the minimum number of workers employed in the definition to 20 (if power is used) and 40 (if power is not used).
It also proposed to change the definition of hazardous process and add the definitions of hazardous substance and disability.

Kumar said,"We are not favour changing the definition of hazardous process. This will enable manufacturers to go in for certain manufacturing processes which may be hazardous to the health and safety of the workers."

Elaborating further he said, "It is possible that a substance is not hazardous but the process of manufacturing it may not be good for health and safety of workers like in case of spices."
Secretary All India Trade Union Congress D L Sachdev who also attended the meeting said, "The proposed amendment regarding hazardous process and threshold limit for the Act, will not be in the interest of the workers. We have opposed it."
Sachdev said," We have also opposed the government's proposal to allow employers to put women on night duties. It could be done only in case of certain special cases like in Hospitals."

It is proposed in the bill that a factory with more than 75 workers should provide separate shelters or restrooms for male and female workers. The Act mandates a factory employing more than 150 people to provide shelters or restrooms.
The unionists were of the view that all factories should provide these facilities irrespective to strength of workers in a unit.
Assuring the unionists, the Minister said,"We cannot compromise with the safety and health of the workers.