The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), one of the country’s largest trade unions, has announced plans to launch a nationwide agitation against certain provisions of the Centre’s labour reforms, alleging that they undermine workers’ rights and weaken trade union activities.
Inaugurating the two-day Kerala State Committee meeting of the BMS in Ernakulam on Sunday, All India General Secretary Surendra Kumar Pandey said the organisation was preparing for a large-scale movement against provisions contained in the Industrial Relations (IR) Code and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code.
Pandey added that the BMS had welcomed two of the four Labour Codes introduced by the Centre – the Code on Wages and the Code on Social Security – as they contain measures aimed at improving wage protection and extending social security coverage to workers. However, he said that significant concerns remained regarding the IR Code and the OSH Code.
The four Labour Codes were enacted to consolidate 29 central labour laws into four broad legislations: the Code on Wages, the Industrial Relations Code, the Code on Social Security, and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code. The Union government has said that the reforms are intended to simplify compliance procedures, modernise labour regulations and improve the ease of doing business.
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According to Pandey, provisions relating to restrictions on the right to strike, recognition of trade unions and the functioning of labour organisations have created widespread concern among workers. He said the BMS had repeatedly conveyed its objections to the Centre through formal representations and discussions with the Union Labour Ministry.
“Despite these efforts, the concerns raised by trade unions were not adequately addressed while framing the rules under the Labour Codes,” he alleged. The BMS leader said the organisation could not accept measures that make trade union activities more difficult without offering safeguards for workers. Calling on the Centre to amend the relevant provisions through Parliament, Pandey warned that labour rights and job security guaranteed under the Constitution must be protected.
If corrective measures are not taken, he said, the BMS would work to unite like-minded trade unions across the country and launch a massive labour agitation. The meeting was presided over by State BMS President B. Shivaji Sudarsanan. All-India Vice-President Unnikrishnan Unnithan, Southern States Organising Secretary M.P. Rajeevan and State Deputy General Secretary C. Balachandran also addressed the gathering.
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