Labour codes, move not to pay workers during natural calamities 'deleterious'

By A Representative
The National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM), a well-known civil rights organization, has strongly protested against the alleged Government of India move to “dilute” decades of working class struggles “which led to 44 legislations regarding minimum wages, fixed hours of work, right to unionization, workers benefits, social security of unorganized sector workers etc.”
Pointing out that this is being done through four labour codes, “which will spell doom for an over-whelming section of the working population”, an NAPM statement, signed by tens of well-known activists, including Medha Patkar, Aruna Roy, Prafulla Samantara and Sandeep Pandey, also objects to the recent report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the proposed Code on Industrial Relations Bill, which considers “payments to workers during natural calamities would be ‘unjustifiable’.”
Stating that both the “deleterious” moves must be resisted, the statement, issued on the occasion of the May Day, states that what one witnesses today is “a lop-sided, neo-liberal model of extractive development which successive governments have perpetuated.”
“It is no hidden reality that secure, timely wages and eight hours’ work per day is still a distant dream for workers across numerous sectors. However, citing the ‘pandemic’, the attempts of different state governments to push for 12 working hours per day is a huge retrograde step that must be fought tooth and nail”, the statement notes.
Calling “the entire episode” as badly “planned and horribly executed” during the lockdown, the statement says, it brings to light “other significant issues such as the equal right of migrant workers to be at home, to travel back in trains, food security regardless of documentation etc.”, adding, “The order of the Union Home Ministry allowing for road return and now partial rail return of migrant workers is too little, too late.”

It is no hidden reality that secure, timely wages and eight hours’ work per day is still a distant dream for workers across numerous sectors

“While we welcome the announcement for ‘Shramik Special Trains’, we call upon the government to increase the number of these trains across various routes/states and also ensure that the burden of payment of train ticket is not on the already impoverished worker but is owned up by the contractor and the State, in terms of the provisions of the Inter-State Migrant Workers Act, 1967”, the statement insists.
The statement has been issued following a national e-seminar on ‘Workers’ Rights: Dignity, Justice and Pro-People Development’, in which activists Medha Patkar, Richa Singh, P Chennaiah, Prasanna Heggodu, Dr Sunilam, Kamayani Swami, Ashish Ranjan and others participated.
The seminar worked out a series of demands from the government, including the need to roll back the attempts to dilute the labour laws, free and safe return of all migrant workers, universalization of the Public Distribution system, and full payment to workers during the lockdown period.

Comments

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Civil society flags widespread violations of land acquisition Act before Parliamentary panel

By Jag Jivan Civil society organisations and stakeholders from across India have presented stark evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj , alleging systemic violations of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 , particularly in Scheduled Areas and tribal regions.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Dr. Ram Bux Singh: Biogas pioneer’s legacy gains urgency amid energy crisis

By A Representative In an era defined by a global energy crisis and a desperate search for sustainable solutions, the visionary work of an Indian scientist from the mid-20th century is finding renewed, urgent relevance. Dr. Ram Bux Singh , a pioneering figure in biogas and renewable energy , is being posthumously honored by the Government of India, even as his decades-old innovations provide a blueprint for today’s challenges.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Protesters in UK cities voice concerns over alleged developments in Bastar region

By A Representative Demonstrations were held across several cities in the United Kingdom on March 28, as groups and activists gathered to protest what they described as state actions in India under the reported “Operation Kagar.”

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Search This Blog