Labour laws: Government invites unions to discuss their 10-point charter on Friday

Government has invited 11 central trade unions to discuss on Friday their 10-point agenda and issues relating certain amendments in labour laws, which were opposed by them earlier.

Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, Power Minister Piyush Goyal, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha will attend the meeting to discuss issues flagged by unions on various aspects, particularly labour law amendments of the past, a union leader told PTI. "The government has invited us for discussions on our 10-point charter tomorrow in view of national convention of central trade unions called on May 26 for direct action," he said.

"The government has deputed their four ministers-- Piyush Goyal, Bandaru Dattatreya, Dharmendra Pradhan and Jayant Sinha. It is quite possible the all central trade unions may decide to go on a strike in view of government's unilateral labour reforms," he added. The central trade unions' 10-point agenda includes demands like government steps to deal with issues like price rise and unemployment.

Providing universal social security cover for workers and stopping disinvestment of PSUs are also part of demands. The union leader further said that the central trade unions have added two more demands to their 10 points agenda-- scrapping the decision to allow foreign investment in railways and defence and "unilateral" changes in labour laws.

Unions have been opposing certain proposed labour law amendments which encourage hire and fire, makes it tougher to make labour unions and diluting existing social security net available to the workers at different fora.
Under the proposed Industrial Relations Code Bill 2015, the employers with up to 300 workers would not require government permission for retrenchment, lay off and closure.

The bill also makes it tougher to form trade unions in the country. It proposed that 10 per cent of total workers would be required as applicant to register a trade union. It is proposed that the minimum number applicant shall be 7 and maximum number of applicant shall be 100. At present 7 applicants are required to register a trade union.