New Delhi: Apex body of staffing firms ISF on Monday hailed the decision of certain states on suspension of some key labour laws for the next three years to help revive businesses hit by the COVID-19 crisis.
The India Staffing Federation (ISF) said that simplified labour laws will propel faster growth and hiring, significantly allowing employers to increase opportunities for citizens.
ISF welcomes the decision of various states to "suspend multiple labour law provisions across its boundaries for the next three years considering it will not only help the industry come out of the crisis and boost their investments, but also promote ease of doing business induced by the lockdown to combat COVID-19 pandemic", it said.
ISF President Lohit Bhatia said in a statement, "The various states including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and now Karnataka are now taking sharper chances with labour laws to attract investment into their states."
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By introducing time-bound labour law relaxations, these states will make themselves attractive for investors and promote ease of doing business, he said.
These announcements are being arrived at post state cabinet meetings and possibly will be undertaken via the Ordinance route.
"India has been lagging in simplifying its labour laws for nearly 70 years, though the government did try and bring about legislation in past three years to reduce over 44 labour laws to four labour codes, the current set of announcements by the state governments will be more likely to achieve the results," Bhatia added.
Central trade unions may approach ILO on labour laws suspension in some states
Ten central trade unions on Monday said they are considering approaching the International Labour Organization (ILO) against suspension of major labour laws in some states.
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath last week gave nod to 'Uttar Pradesh Temporary Exemption from Certain Labour Laws Ordinance, 2020' to exempt factories, business establishments and industries from the purview of all, except three labour laws and one provision of another law, for three years.
The Madhya Pradesh government has also suspended some labour laws and as per media reports, Gujarat too is following suit.
In a joint statement issued on Monday, the central trade unions also threatened to give a call for nationwide agitation to protest against such moves by state governments.
"The CTUs consider these moves as....gross violation of the Right to Freedom of Association (ILO Convention 87), Rights to Collective Bargaining( ILO Convention 98) and also the internationally accepted norm of eight hour working day espoused by Core Conventions of ILO)," the statement said.
It also noted that the ILO Convention 144 with regard to tripartism has been undermined by thegovernments.
"While seriously considering to lodge a complaint with ILO on these misdeeds of the Government for gross violation of Labour Standards, the CTUs call upon the working class to oppose these designs.... soon the CTUs would give a nationwide callfor action," it said.
The Joint Platform of CTUs and Federations/Associations denounced the blanket exemptions given to all establishments from the employers' obligation under all substantive labour laws for a period of three years by Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
(PTI Report)
