
ITUC-Asia Pacific supports the demands and stand in solidarity with the trade union movement in India on the national strike in India on 26 November
28 October 2020
The ITUC Asia Pacific expresses
deep concern over the labour law reform and gross violations of workers’ rights
under the Covid-19 pandemic in India.
In many states in India the
coronavirus crisis is being used as an excuse to suspend labour laws and attack
workers’ rights. Extensive amendments have been proposed by the central and
local governments to lower labour standards. These include extending the number
of working hours from eight to twelve hours a day, normalising fixed-term
employment, exempting companies from labour inspections, and suspending the
labour laws in order to attract investments. These labour amendments and
administrative orders seriously undermine the fundamental principles and rights
at work of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and have grave
implications on freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.
They were made without genuine engagement and consultation with trade unions in
further violation of ILO Convention No. 144 on Tripartite Consultation which
the Indian government has ratified.
The government of India should hold
the long overdue Indian Labour Conference without any delay to address the major
demands and bring the labour law amendments in
compliance with the international labour standards.
Shoya Yoshida, General Secretary of
ITUC- Asia Pacific said that the current labour reform is curtailing or ending
the worker's rights that have been achieved by several struggles of the Indian
Trade Union Movement since independence. The worst thing that the Indian
Government has passed these laws without discussion or consultation with the
Trade Unions which is an assault on democracy.
A model Letter written to the Prime
Minister of India is attached which can be used by respective organizations for
showing solidarity with Indian workers.