Centre ignored trade unions' views while amending labour laws: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Feb 29, 2024, 12:47 PM IST

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan slammed the central government for ignoring the views of trade unions while amending the Labour Laws. He praised the unions' unity against the Centre.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday (Feb 29) slammed the BJP-ruled Centre for not considering the views of trade unions while amending the Labour Laws. While addressing the Chief Minister's Face-to-Face programme with workers, he stated that the new labour law modifications would reverse many of the nation's labour sector's previous achievements.

Also read: Kerala: Amid financial crisis Rs 33 lakh to be spent for CM's face-to-face programme

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"At the stage of revising the Labour laws in the country, the central government is not ready to consider the views of the trade unions or take them into confidence regarding the changes to be made. The new Labour Law amendments will undo many of the gains already made in the labour sector," he said.

CM Vijayan, on the other hand, praised the unions' unity against the central government's action as "encouraging," saying it went beyond politics. According to the Chief Minister, wages will decline throughout society and create more inequality if trade unions are unable to negotiate for improved pay and working conditions. He claimed that the India Labour Bureau had noted that wages have been dropping throughout the country over the past ten years, particularly in rural areas.

"In other words, the claims of GDP growth are not reflected in people's lives," Vijayan alleged.

In drafting state regulations to counteract the negative effects of central laws on labour, he said the Kerala government is making every effort to safeguard the interests of workers.

"You are aware that the Kerala government is making strong interventions in the matter of labour protection," the Chief Minister said.

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