The CPI(M) on Saturday strongly opposed the implementation of the four labour codes, claiming these seek to dilute and abolish long-established rights and entitlements of workers, and shift the balance sharply in favour of employers.
These dismantle the hard-won rights of workers, which provided them some protection, it said in a statement.
“The CPI(M) Politbureau strongly opposes the unilateral notification of the four Labour Codes by the BJP-led Central government,” the Left party said.
The Left party said the labour codes dismantle 29 hard-won labour laws that have, till now, protected the workers to some extent.
“Despite many limitations, to an extent, the wages, working hours, social security, industrial safety, inspection, compliance mechanisms, and collective bargaining were in place.
“Instead of simplification, the new codes seek to dilute and abolish long-established existing rights and entitlements and shift the balance sharply in favour of employers,” CPI(M) alleged.
The Left party also said the government’s claim that the labour codes will boost employment and investment is completely baseless.
“The codes are designed to leave labour unprotected in the face of the onslaught of capital. Their aim is to lure national and international capital by ensuring that all meaningful regulations covering various aspects of labour rights will be nullified.”
“The Labour Codes, in totality, seek to establish a jungle raj by unilaterally empowering the corporate class to bulldoze the rights and entitlements of workers with proactive sponsorship of the government and administration.”
It also accused the Centre of pushing the codes without genuine tripartite consultation with the stakeholders, particularly the workers, and condemned the action.
“The government sidelined trade unions throughout the process and rushed the legislation through Parliament without debate. Rather, the government arrogantly rejected the valid objections to the labour codes that were based on irrefutable arguments and concrete documentary evidence,” the CPI(M) said.
Calling for the immediate withdrawal of the labour codes, it urged all trade unions and democratic forces to build united struggles to resist the “authoritarian design” of the government and defend the rights and entitlements of the working people, and their struggle for more comprehensive labour rights and protections.
The Centre on Friday implemented the four Labour Codes, pending since 2020, introducing worker-friendly measures like a timely minimum wage for all and universal social security, including gig and platform workers, while allowing longer work hours, broader fixed-term employment, and employer-friendly retrenchment rules.
The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has strongly condemned the government’s four Labour Codes, calling them a “deceptive fraud” against workers. CITU General Secretary Tapan Sen stated that the codes are aimed at destroying job security, suppressing the right to strike, and dismantling labour inspection, among other things.
The CITU has pointed out that the simplification of 29 laws into 4 codes has led to the dilution and dismantling of protective provisions of existing labour laws, such as the Industrial Disputes Act and Factories Act. The Social Security Code does not guarantee universal coverage, and the proposed aggregator contribution of 1-2% of turnover is inadequate to fund pension, PF, or health benefits.
The Minimum Wage Code does not provide a scientific living wage, and the national floor wage is abysmally low, varying across regions. Fixed-term employment legalises permanent temporality in core jobs, and the Codes do not address problems faced by women workers, such as contractualisation and unequal pay.
“The Labour Codes are an instrument of corporate-driven labour market deregulation, aimed at destroying job security, suppressing the right to strike, dismantling labour inspection, expanding contractualisation and fixed-term employment, weakening unions and collective bargaining, and limiting social security to token schemes,” Sen said.