As Opposition Boycotts RS, Govt Passes Three Labour Code Bills

The Indian Parliament. Image used for representation.

(Photo: PTI)

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, 23 September, passed three crucial labour law bills in the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government's labour reform initiatives.

The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020; the Industrial Relations Code, 2020; and the Code on Social Security, 2020 were passed when the Opposition was not present in the House as part of its protest against the government's two farm Bills passed on Sunday amid widespread protest in various state by farmers.

The Opposition parties had boycotted the House before the Bill was moved in the House for its passage.

Minister of State with independent charge in the Ministry of Labour and Employment Santosh Kumar Gangwar had introduced these Bills on 19 September in Lok Sabha with substantive changes after withdrawing the three codes tabled in the Parliament in 2019.

The codes will give powers to state governments on rules related to hiring, retrenchment and fixing work hours in their factories and establishments while restricting powers of the workers to form unions.

Besides, it will ensure the government extends social security to all, including the unorganised and gig workers in a phased manner.

The Union Labour Ministry has consolidated and amalgamated 29 labour laws into four codes to significantly improve the ease of compliance and hiring and firing of workers while keeping the labour welfare under consideration. The government had earlier notified the Code on Wages which provides for national level floor wage for all workers.

(With inputs from IANS)