BMS, other central trade unions protest labour reforms

Central trade unions, including BJP-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), today protested against the government's ambitious draft industrial code, which proposes easing of hire and fire norms for companies, among others.
Interestingly, BMS had opted out of nationwide strike observed by central trade unions on September 2 to protest government's proposed labour reforms.
The Labour Ministry today held deliberations with employers and employees on revised draft bill, which proposes to combine Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, Trade Unions Act, 1926, and Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946 into a single code.
The proposed labour reforms are part of the government's initiative to improve ease of doing business in the country.

Representatives of BMS and other central trade unions strongly protested against certain provision, including easing of hire and fire norms under the revised Labour Code on Industrial Relations Bill, 2015.
"I am saying this on behalf of BMS. We are against certain provisions of draft industrial code bill," BMS Zonal Organisation Secretary Pawan Kumar said after the meeting.

All India Trade Union Congress Secretary D L Sachdev said, "All central trade unions today protested against many provisions of the revised draft industrial code. It is still very ambiguous and in certain case give different interpretations."
"The Labour Minister has asked us to express our reservations and suggestion on the bill in writing and assured to consult the workers' representatives on points raised by them," he added.

Kumar said that the ministry had agreed on certain points with them in the meeting of sub-committee held on September 10 but those points were not incorporated in the revised draft.
He claimed the ministry had agreed on the provision of one-third outsiders in trade unions in organised sector and 50 per cent outsiders in unorganised sector would not be changed.
"Now they want there should be no outsiders in the union," Kumar said.
"They had agreed on collective bargaining table where persons getting 15 per cent of votes will get a seat in the table to negotiate with management," he said.

Kumar further said the new bill proposes that once negotiations are on then there will be no strike as has been the case with public utilities like banks and railways. "We oppose these provisions."
Trade unions are strongly opposed to easing of hire and fire norms for companies. At present, firms employing 100 or more workers are required to seek government's permission for retrenchment under the Industrial Dispute Act.
However, the revised draft bill has a clause which makes lay offs, retrenchment and closure easier for companies employing up to 300 workers.