Kerala to Strongly Oppose Four Labour Codes at National Conference

Web desk

Published on Nov 04, 2025, 05:57 PM | 2 min read

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala will strongly voice its opposition to the four labour codes introduced by the Union Government at the National Conference of Labour and Industry Ministers and Secretaries being held in Delhi, said Kerala’s Minister for Labour and Skill Development.

The labour minister said that Kerala does not agree with the provisions of the current codes, which weaken workers’ rights, social security, and trade union freedom. He added that labour reforms should not focus solely on ‘ease of doing business,’ but should also prioritise improving the ‘ease of living’ of workers — a point that Kerala will emphasise in the conference.

“The state will communicate its concerns regarding the anti-worker provisions in the Central labour codes to the Union Government and demand necessary amendments to ensure workers’ welfare. Kerala gives priority to guaranteeing workers’ rights to organise and bargain collectively, and to strengthening safety standards, including minimum wages,” the minister said.

He further stated that the state is ready to introduce timely, worker-friendly reforms in the existing labour laws and that the LDF government’s policy is to strengthen labour–employer relations and maintain Kerala as a labour-friendly state.

Minister V. Sivankutty will represent Kerala at the National Conference of Labour and Industry Ministers and Secretaries. Kerala remains committed to cooperating with the Union Government to ensure workers’ welfare and to promote inclusive development, the minister added.

Kerala will also cooperate with the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana, which came into effect on August 1, 2025, aimed at creating new employment opportunities. As part of this initiative, the state will lead cluster-based outreach programs to promote organised employment.

To enhance workers’ social security coverage, Kerala will collaborate with the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) for data sharing.

The state is also considering signing an MoU with the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) to achieve universal ESI coverage in all districts. For this, Kerala is ready to work in coordination with state primary and community health centres.

Minister Sivankutty also said that the state will focus on registering more unorganised, construction, and gig/platform workers on the e-Shram portal (which currently has 32.9 million registrations).