Centre begins efforts to implement Labour Codes

• The Union Labour Ministry has started efforts to implement the four Labour Codes, which were passed in Parliament in its second term in 2019 and 2020.

Keypoint

• Union Labour Minister and Union Labour Secretary have started meeting representatives of various trade unions seeking their cooperation to implement the controversial legislation.
• The Codes are not yet operational owing to objections from trade unions. The Centre has been maintaining that some States are yet to frame the Rules for the Codes.
• Almost all the States have framed the Rules, and the Centre has said it is helping those States which could not draft the Rules to complete the process.
• The Central trade unions (CTUs) had opposed the implementation of the Codes citing that they will curtail trade union rights and social security measures for workers.
• Recently, Citigroup had said in its employment analysis report on India that implementing the four Labour Codes could improve the “ease of doing business” scenario in the country.
• SEWA is opposed to the four codes and wanted to raise the lack of social security measures for unorganized and migrant workers.
• The current social security legislation fails to adequately safeguard their rights as State policies and laws concerning social security offer no specific provisions for migrant workers.
• Both migrant workers crossing State borders and workers employed outside India face similar deprivation of protection under social security laws and schemes,” a memorandum by SEWA said.

Prelims Takeaway:

• Labour Codes
• SEWA