This refers to the article “Labour law stasis” (December 8) by M J Antony. Labour laws in India are obsolete, dating back to the 1980s. It is questionable whether courts in India have sided with forces of globalisation and private businesses. There are no “sides” here. Every business needs investment and labour. Also, labour laws in India side with workers in a biased manner, in the garb of “protecting the vulnerable”. The “vulnerable” came from weaker sections in the 1960s to enroll themselves as labourers in public sector units (PSUs). They needed state protection and labour laws served the purpose then.
Today, however, organised labour represents the middle and upper middle classes of the country. Also, add job security and lax work schedule to this.
It is rare to find a case involving dismissal of a labourer for negligence of duty or willful misconduct. Times have changed. Organised labourers do not need state protection today. But labourers in the unorganised sector do. And a lot of welfare measures are required for this unattended section. Labour law reforms should factor in such concerns.
Raghu Seshadri, Chennai