Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet labour conference delegates on July 19

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the 46th Indian Labour Conference (ILC) beginning on July 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet 21 delegates of central trade unions on Sunday.

"Probably, this is the first time that the Prime Minister is meeting the trade union delegates before an ILC," Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh General Secretary Vrijesh Upadhyay told PTI.

He further said, "The Prime Minister has invited the delegates for a high tea in the evening on Sunday where he is likely to exchange views on different issues raised earlier by trade unions and their 10-point charter of demands."

The two-day ILC will be inaugurated by Modi on July 20 and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will be the guest of honour.

The Prime Minister's meeting with the ILC delegates on Sunday will be significant in view of ongoing protests by trade unions against the certain proposed amendments that are part of NDA government's labour reforms for improving ease of doing business to give a push to the 'Make in India' initiative.

As per the agenda of the ILC, there will be detailed deliberations on labour laws amendments proposed or done either by the central or state governments.

The unions have strongly opposed some of the amendments that include norms related to easing retrenchment, lay offs and closure of units provision and forming unions under the proposed New Industrial Relations Code.

As many as 11 trade unions, including BJP-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, will observe nationwide strike on September 2 against various issues.