Congress seeks amendments in Industrial Relations Code

Congress leader KN Tripathi met Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar and sought amendments in the Industrial Relations Code, stating that the existing provisions will throttle labours instead of helping them.

Ranchi:National president of Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) and senior Congress leader KN Tripathi on Friday met Union Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar and sought amendments in the Industrial Relations Code. Tripathi urged the labour minister to also include the agricultural-related workers in the laws.

"I have conveyed to Santosh Ji that provisions of the four IRC, which were made after amalgamating 44 central labour Acts into four codes, will create troubles for the labours. The workers will have to give a notice 60 days in advance for strike or for any other demand, hence delaying their justice. These laws will rather choke the voices of the labours. I have told him that a solution needs to be found out for this issue," Tripathi said.

He added, "Workers engaged in the agricultural field must also be included in these laws and concept of district courts must not be abolished. I have given a written memorandum to him A meeting with dignitaries of National Labour Congress and r Santosh Kumar Gangwar has also been fixed ."

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"INTUC is likely to meet the Labour minister by the end of December or in the first week of January. Santosh Ji has assured me that solutions to these problems will be worked upon."

Under the IR code, if over 50 per cent of a company's workers take concerted casual leave, it will be treated as a strike. As per the new labour laws, a worker cannot go on strike without providing, at least, a 60-day notice, and not while proceedings before a Tribunal or a National Industrial Tribunal are taking place.

The new law also permits companies having 300 workers to fire them without having to gain government approval. Earlier, industrial establishments having 100 employees were only allowed to do so.