Labour panel must focus on infotech: Ficci

NEW DELHI: Ficci today said that though the report of National Commission on Labour stresses on relaxation of labour laws, there was an urgent need to address some of the immediate concerns of the Indian industry, especially the problems of restructuring medium and large size industries.
Though the Commission has agreed in principle with regard to the employment of contract labour, Ficci said it has not taken note of the characteristics of the newly emerging sectors of information technology and entertainment.The chamber believes that the National Commission on Labour’s suggestion of prior government permission for closing down units employing up to 300 workers would retard the pace of labour reforms.
“The government should not restrict Indian industry at a time when the country has been facing intense competition from countries like China which have no restrictive laws to provide cheap input to their industry,� Ficci president R S Lodha said in a statement.While Union Cabinet had approved companies, employing up to 1,000 workers, to close down without government permission, the commission reduced the limit to 300 workers.
Ficci also said the commission’s suggestion on Essential Services Maintenance Act did not take care of the consumers’ interests. “There must be some protection of consumers against strikes by employees in PSUs, which paralyse normal life,� Mr Lodha said.
New labour minister Sahib Singh Verma, who took over today from Sharad Yadav, maintained that acting quickly on the recommendations of the Second National Labour Commission would be among his priorities.
The minister said,“We have to see how quickly we can act upon the Commission’s recommendations.� The Commission has suggested that a firm social security network with contributions from workers and employers be put in place.