Trade Unions to Hold Protest on Wednesday Against Central Labour Codes

Thiruvananthapuram: Ten major trade unions will observe a protest on Wednesday against the Central Labour Codes, which they allege dismantle labour rights and protect only the interests of employers. Copies of the Labour Codes will be burned at district headquarters, local centres, and workplaces. Workers will wear black badges as a mark of protest. Service organizations will also join the agitation.

Despite strong opposition from labour unions, the Central Government enforced the new Labour Codes on November 21. The four codes contain anti-labour provisions, including allowing employers to lay off workers and shut down establishments with fewer restrictions. All national trade unions except BMS have entered into protest, with the farmers’ front also extending support.

In Kerala, INTUC and STU are not part of the joint protest, reportedly due to pressure from the Congress party. The organizations participating in the united agitation include CITU, AITUC, HMS, SEWA, TUCI, NTUI, NLC, HMPK, and KTUCM. The Kerala Union of Working Journalists will also join the protest, opposing the removal of the wage board for media workers.

Minister Calls Meeting of Central Trade Union Representatives

State Labour Minister V. Sivankutty has called an online meeting of representatives of central trade unions on the 27th at noon to discuss issues related to the Labour Codes introduced by the Central Government. He said that discussions would also be held with labour ministers of other states.

The government is considering conducting a Labour Conclave in Thiruvananthapuram in the third week of December. At Monday’s meeting convened by the Central Labour Secretary, Kerala reiterated its objections to several aspects of the Labour Codes. State Labour Department Special Secretary S. Shanavas informed that these objections would also be submitted in writing.

BJP Government Endangering Workers: Joint Trade Union

The Joint Trade Union State Committee alleged that the BJP government at the Centre is determined to make labour conditions insecure and push workers into hardship. A massive protest wave will rise against these anti-worker measures, said General Convenor Elamaram Kareem and Convenor K.P. Rajendran in a statement.

The committee stated that the BMS leadership has lost its moral courage, calling the Labour Codes a “historic achievement.” They alleged that the BMS is controlled by corporate powers and the Sangh Parivar. Ordinary workers within the BMS would eventually be forced to rise against this betrayal, they said.

Workers will no longer have the right to challenge layoffs and closures or even seek legal remedy. The Labour Codes pave the way for restricting trade union rights, increasing working hours, removing job security, reducing wages, making union registration difficult, exempting factories from labour law coverage, preventing strikes and protests, and curtailing the powers of labour officers in labour dispute matters.

On Wednesday, trade unions will burn copies of the Labour Codes at various centres across the state. Protests are expected at Kochi Port, Shipyard, FACT, Kochi Refinery, and Kakkanad Special Economic Zone.

In the coming days, protests will also intensify in front of KSRTC, KSEB, Water Authority, KSFE, cooperative banks, insurance companies, banking institutions, and other major workplaces.