Labour law amendments: Despite trade unions’ boycott, govt pushes through agenda

The Union Labour Ministry on Thursday pushed through some proposed amendments to labour laws at a meeting that left-leaning trade unions boycotted—a development that is likely to fray their already tenuous relationship.
The Tripartite Consultation’s stated agenda was to discuss the central government’s proposed amendments to the Trade Union Act, 1926. Although the central government claims the amendments would “legalise” trade unions, left unions accuse the government of trying to weaken the country’s trade union movement.
The meeting that Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar, who heads the Tripartite body, had convened saw three trade unions, including RSS-affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), Central and state governments and representatives of employees in private sectors attending it.
All three adopted the amendments.
BMS national functionary Pawan Kumar said the Labour Ministry would now review the amendments and send them to Law Ministry to draft it into the law for Cabinet’s approval.
Source: Tribune India