The trade union leaders here have alleged that apathy of the Government has deprived the trade unions of the much-needed freedom to operate in their sphere. Two resolutions no 87 and 98 passed by the International labour Organization (IlO) empower trade unions for collective bargaining.
But the Union Ministry of labour is not interested for amendment of the Constitution to extend this facility to the trade unions in India. The argument of the Ministry is that forming organisation and collective bargain are already given in the Trade Union Act, 1926 and Industrial Dispute Act, 1947. So there is no need to make further laws, but due to discrepancies in the two laws, the trade unions are not getting the benefit of the resolutions of the IlO, said HMS State working president Bidyadhar Barik and AITUC, Keonjhar general secretary Maheswar Rout.
“We have decided to highlight the issue on the International labor Day on May 1 and put pressure on the Government to make laws for welfare of the trade unions and millions of labourers in the country,” they said. They also alleged that the Government was not implementing recommendations of the consultative committee of the labour department. Moreover, there is no special wage board for the labourers working in hazardous working conditions in different plants and mines, they complained.
