Trade unions decide not to change stance on labour law amendments: Vrijesh Upadhyay

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the first meeting with inter-ministerial panel on labour issues today, trade unions have unanimously decided to oppose certain proposed amendments to labour law like easing of retrenchment and unit closure norms.

The inter-ministerial panel comprises of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Power Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh.

Besides, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited the representatives of trade unions for a high tea in the evening.

The central unions representatives met at the INTUC office here to chalk out strategy for discussions with the inter-ministerial panel and later with the Prime Minister.

"We have decided not to change our stand on certain labour law amendments which are not in the interest of workers during central trade unions meet here," Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh General Secretary Vrijesh Upadhyay said.

He said that it was also decided that unions would listen to government's view on different issues during the two meetings.

The unions have been raising issues related to labour law amendments and a 10-point charter of demands on various fora.

There are about a dozen central trade unions whose representatives will discuss issues with the inter-ministerial panel and the Prime Minister.

As many as 11 trade unions, including BJP-backed Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, have given a call for nationwide strike on September 2 against various issues.

In May, the government had decided to constitute the Inter-Ministerial committee to hold threadbare discussions with representatives of Central Trade Unions on 10 point charter of demands and other issues being raised by them and for recommending measures to address those issues.