Battery of ministers for meeting with trade unions

A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave the Left parties a reason to celebrate by addressing their concerns about the Indo-US deal, Left-backed trade unions too got reasons to feel good as the prime minister has lined up a battery of ministers for his meeting with central trade unions on Saturday.

The meeting is, however, set to be a non-event as far as the crucial economic reforms agenda is concerned.

Leaders of CPI-backed trade union AITUC and CPI(M)-affiliated CITU told the Business Standard today that there was no question of any change in their stance on the crucial issues of labour reforms, Pension Bill, and Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill.

"We have already rejected these proposals. Where is the scope for discussion?" they said.

Leaders are, however, happy about the government's apparently "changing attitude" vis-à-vis trade unions.

"The finance minister, the defence minister, the commerce minister, and the labour minister, among others, will be present along with the prime minister in tomorrow's meeting. In my 20 years in Parliament, I have never seen such a move by the government. We are obviously very happy," said CPI MP and AITUC leader Gurudas Dasgupta.

The trade unions' agenda for Saturday's meeting include the issues of violation of labour law across the country, the government's failure to bring in the Unorganised Sector Workers' Bill and reduction of interest rate on provident funds.

In a meeting of trade unions at the CITU headquarters last week, leaders had also decided to demand from the prime minister that trade union movement be allowed and facilitated in special economic zones, export processing zones and the IT sector.

The government, on the other hand, is set to raise the issues of labour reforms, Pension Bill and Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, which remain stalled due to opposition by the Left parties, especially their trade unions.

Given the total rejection of these reforms by trade unions, Saturday's meeting is set to be a mere confidence building measure.

Meanwhile, a CPI delegation led by Gurudas Dasgupta met the prime minister on Friday to demand the revival of industries like HMT Chinar in Kashmir.