Incentivise migrant workers to join work: BMS to govt

RSS-affiliate trade union Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh has urged government to consider giving migrant workers cash incentives, electronic passes, free train tickets etc. to incentivise them to join work to help re-start economic activity in the country.

Besides, it has has called for creation of a national register of migrant workers for creating data base, proper identity, portability, labour law protection and social security benefits for them.


"Government should also immediately formulate a national policy on migrant workers," it said in its interaction with labour minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar on Wednesday.

"Compulsory methods should not be adopted to dissuade migrant workers going to their home (reverse migration) to join their families," BMS had said.

"Instead, they should be provided incentives to come back to host states like cash incentives, electronic passes, free train tickets etc," BMS said in a statement issued after meeting of trade unions with the labour minister on issues impacting workers and what needs to be done.

Pointing out salary cuts at the state government level and freezing of dearness allowance at the Centre, BMS suggested that central labour ministry "write to states to immediately stop such massive salary cuts".

"BMS opposes unilateral decision on DA freezing and urged government exempt low wage employees from this.