Nov 25 2014 : The Economic Times (Delhi)
Labour Laws to be Recast into Five Codes
Yogima Sharma
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New Delhi:
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TO ENSURE CLARITY All the existing 44 laws will be reclassified into these categories, marking another step in the series of labour reforms
The government plans to push through labour reforms by revamping existing laws into five broad codes dealing with key issues, as recommended by a panel more than a decade ago, to introduce uniformity of terms and definitions and remove anomalies.All the existing 44 laws will be reclassified into these categories, marking another step in the series of labour reforms kickstarted by the BJP government aimed at redefining them and bringing about greater clarity . The government's plan is based on the Second National Labour Commission's report of 2002, which suggested there should be five groups of laws pertaining to industrial relations, wages, social security, safety and welfare, and working conditions.
The ministry has set up an inter-ministerial group for this, which is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Wednesday .
“We have prepared a draft on the five codes on labour laws based on the recommendations of the Second National Commission on Labour and this will now be reviewed by the inter-ministerial group set up for the purpose before we come up with a final note,“ a senior labour ministry official told ET, requesting anonymity .
According to an official, this will bring about clarity in the ut clarity in the laws.“This is pro-labour as well because the labourer would now find it eas ier to seek re course under the standard def initions and the introduction of uniform codes would remove differences existing across 44 acts governing employment of labour in the country as of now,“ the official added. The commission was of the view that the coverage as well as the definition of the term `worker' should be the same in all groups of laws, subject to the stipulation that social security benefits must be available to employees, including administrative, managerial, supervisory and others excluded from the category of workmen or not treated as workmen.The inter-ministerial group will be chaired by the additional secretary in Ministry of Labour and Employment and will include representatives from Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, textiles, commerce and the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises.
The ministry has set up an inter-ministerial group for this, which is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Wednesday .
“We have prepared a draft on the five codes on labour laws based on the recommendations of the Second National Commission on Labour and this will now be reviewed by the inter-ministerial group set up for the purpose before we come up with a final note,“ a senior labour ministry official told ET, requesting anonymity .
According to an official, this will bring about clarity in the ut clarity in the laws.“This is pro-labour as well because the labourer would now find it eas ier to seek re course under the standard def initions and the introduction of uniform codes would remove differences existing across 44 acts governing employment of labour in the country as of now,“ the official added. The commission was of the view that the coverage as well as the definition of the term `worker' should be the same in all groups of laws, subject to the stipulation that social security benefits must be available to employees, including administrative, managerial, supervisory and others excluded from the category of workmen or not treated as workmen.The inter-ministerial group will be chaired by the additional secretary in Ministry of Labour and Employment and will include representatives from Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, textiles, commerce and the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises.
