Centre drops proposal to relax retrenchment norms for industries

Central trade unions protested against any change in laws that allow factories to hire and fire workers without govt's permission

The government has dropped a contentious proposal to allow factories with a big workforce to retrench and layoff workers or shut shop without seeking its nod.

Earlier this week, the labour and employment ministry had circulated a Cabinet note for inter-ministerial consultations on the proposed Code on Industrial Relations Bill 2018, set to be introduced in the ongoing Budget session. The proposed Bill was to combine the Trade Unions Act, 1926, the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946, and the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, into a single code.

“We have decided not to tinker with the present provisions related to