CHENNAI: The state unit of the Unorganised Workers’ Federation has been demanding the union government to implement a slew of demands, including the withdrawal of the four Labour codes.
The federation also wrote to the union government to convene a tripartite Indian labour conference in order to discuss the four labour codes, which must be withdrawn given its anti-labour nature.
The four labour codes — Code on Social Security and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, Industrial Relations Code, and the Code on Wages were passed in 2020, after repealing 44 labour laws. The new labour codes are stringent and favourable to the employers and corporates, according to the federation.
Pressing their demand – the withdrawal of the Union government’s four labour codes and the protection of Tamil Nadu’s existing sector-specific welfare legislations unorganised workers held a day-long hunger strike in Chennai on Tuesday. The hunger strike saw signigficant number of participants from workers’ unions and collectives representing various unorganised sectors.
Simultaneous demonstrations were held across districts in front of district collectorates.
Workers urged that the Tamil Nadu Manual Workers Act, 1982, along with welfare boards functioning under the 2007 laws for agricultural, fishing, and other traditional labour sectors, be fully restored. Protesters also demanded that the State Assembly pass a resolution to this effect.
The Unorganised Workers Federation also demanded a resolution by the State government to add safety clauses in the law, facilitate rehabilitation for victims of workplace illness or injury, and provide alternative employment or compensation under State labour laws.
