Industry begins process for providing labour reform inputs

KOLKATA: Realising the need for cordial relations with workers and trade unions with the industry after incidents like that at Manesar, employers have begun a process to create 'templates' that may result in recommendations to the Union government for labour reforms.

"Currently, industry bodies of behalf of employers like CII, Ficci, Assocham, Employers' Federation of India (EFI), SIAM and Scope along with a few other bodies are working together creating process templates," EFI secretary general Sharad S Patil said here today.

Speaking at a Bengal Chamber event on industrial relations, he said: "After consulting employers we will bring trade unions to the table to chart out recommendations to place before the government for introducing labour reforms.

"...This is required to achieve the target to enhance the share of manufacturing in GDP to 25 per cent by 2025 against 16 per cent now."

Quoting from a report, Patil said, "Low wage to contract workers is one of the concerns for industrial unrest and if their wage is matched with a regular wager then the impact will not be more than 1.5 per cent on return on capital."

He said, "The broad framework will work under four principles, operating ethos, collectism, alignment and development and engagement."

Hindalco Industries Ltd Chief People Officer Vineet Kaul said, "Employee relation is a management function, the sooner we realise it, the better. We cannot look at the government for solutions."