AITUC organized seminar on Code of Wages Bill 2019 and Occupational Safety and Health and Working Conditions Bill 2019

Ludhiana, August 4, 2019: The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) organized a seminar on Code of Wages Bill 2019 and Occupational Safety and Health and Working Conditions Bill 2019 today at Shaheed Karnail Singh Isru Bhawan, Indra Nagar, Abdullapur Basati Ludhiana.

Comrade Amar Jeet Kaur, National General Secretary AITUC was the main speaker. Over 100 hundred workers from different sections including the employees from Roadways, PRTC, Electricity Board, Punjab Agricultural University, Class 4 workers union, Aanganwadi & Asha Workers, Indusrial workers, Hosiery workers, Construction workers, Rehri Pherhi workersattended the seminar.

After the seminar Amar Jeet Kaur addressed press conference. She said that the code of wages bill 2019 has been brought to serve the interest of the corporate of Indian and Foreign brand and to maximize their profits at the cost of labour put in by the workers. That these changes were introduced through finance bill is totally unjustified and malicious. The workers and employees of the country fought for their rights of minimum wages and working hours which are being completely diluted by this government.

She said the right of working for eight hours is being taken away and replaced by ‘to be decided by the appropriate government”. This will totally negate the concept of eight hours of work. The minimum wage for the workers is based on the concept of 2700 calories by the 15th labour conference of the Indian Labour Conference. This is being changed to 2400 calories, and the concept is being changed to food basket instead of nutritious food.

Further, she said, the doctors committee appointed by the prestigious medical journal Lancet had recommended basic nutritious food for each person. According to this diet chart of the Lancet, the cost for this food itself for a family of five members at the present day price comes out to be Rs.13500 per month. The Trade Unions have been demanding minimum wage of Rs.18000 in consonance with the wage for contract workers in central government establishments as decided by the 7th pay commission. But, the present Labour Minister on his own announced on 10th July minimum wage to be 4628 per month @ Rs.178 per day (for 25 days in a month).

She said till date all the agreements related to the wages and other issues were sorted out through the tripartite or bipartite agreements but now the government has given free hand to itself and the employers to take unilateral decisions. The contractorisation of labour will become norm as the concept of the regular employment has been changed to fixed term employment. This means right of employer to hire and fire the worker at any time. The occupational safety and health and working conditions bill 2019 will completely take away the rights of the workers for occupational safety. The clause of scrutiny of the new industry has been removed and this will make the working conditions for the workers worse as the industry will not be bound by the occupational safety measures. 93% of the workforce is already in the unorganized sector who are devoid of any such rights. Now more number of workers will be excluded. The separate definition of the worker and the employee are creating confusion.

She warned that this government is hell bent to serve the corporate and loot the employees. But working class of the country will not allow this and organize struggles for their rights.

She further informed that the central trade unions (CTUs) met in Delhi in the evening on 2nd August and congratulated the workers for holding successful nationwide protest against anti-worker codification. The CTUs extended their support to one month long strike call by three federations of defense sector unions, from 20th August to 19th September against privatization and corporatization of 41 ordinance factories. They also supported the railway unions struggle against privatization and corporatization of railway production units, support to the BSNL employees fighting against privatization and compulsory retirement, support to the finance sector, NTPC, steel, coal and others who are in the battle to safeguard their sectors in the national interest.

She criticized for including the merging of acts for the journalists in both these codes. She said that the CTUs are planning to hold a national convention and would intensify struggles including strike.

Comrade D P Maur-Vice President AITUC Punjab called for hard struggles ahead. Com. Gulzar Goria-General Secretary Bhartiya Khet Mazdoor Union said that such laws will harshly hit the agricultural workers who are already marginalized sections of the society Com. Ramesh Rattan-President AITUC Ludhiana presided over the seminar. Com Vijay Kumar – Secretary AITUC Ludhiana called upon the workers to unite in strength in coming period more than ever before. Others who addressed include Comrades Chran Sarabha, Gurmail Meldey, Kewal singh Banwait, Gurnam Singh Sidhu, Jeet Kaur Daad.

Stage was compeered by Com. M S Bhatia.