Labour minister virtually rejects demand for repeal of 4 labour laws

States are in the process of implementing the laws and 23 states have already notified rules: Bhupendra Yadav

Representational picture of labourers: File Picture

Basant Kumar Mohanty   |   TT  |  New Delhi   |  10.12.21: Labour minister Bhupender Yadav on Thursday virtually rejected a demand for the repeal of four labour laws, enacted over the past two years, saying 23 states had already implemented them.

He was responding to a question from the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, about the demand from several workers’ organisations for repeal of these laws.

“States are in the process of implementing the labour laws and 23 states have already notified rules. Congress-ruled states have also notified,” Yadav said.

The central rules too would be notified soon, Yadav added.

Ten central trade unions including Intuc, Citu, Aituc and the Hind Mazdoor Sabha have accused the government of enacting the four laws without consulting them. 

Some of the objections of the workers’ bodies are:

⚫The industrial relations code allows firms engaging up to 300 employees to retrench people without seeking state government approval.

⚫The wage code merely provides a threshold floor-level wage.

⚫The occupational safety code exempts from its ambit labour contractors engaging up to 50 workers.

⚫The social security code does not clarify the Centre’s financial obligations.