Shah assures BMS on labour reforms

NEW DELHI: RSS affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) said on Friday that BJP President Amit Shah has assured it of a ministerial panel to look into the amendments in labour laws and reforms.

At a meeting, Shah gave assurance to leaders of the central trade union on a host of issues related to workers, BMS said in a statement.

The union said that the BMS leaders also discussed anti-worker reforms which have created resentment among workers.

As per the statement, Shah said that any changes in labour laws and reforms will be made only after proper consultation with trade unions.

Shah also said that there will be special efforts to strengthen tripartite mechanism to settle labour issues and a ministerial group will be formed for the purpose.

However, a ministerial panel headed by union minister Arun Jaitley with labour minister on its board is still in existence. The panel had met all trade unions together in August, 2015. But panel had met BMS separately last November after the protest by the central trade union.

The government had drawn flak from all trade unions for certain proposed changed in the labour laws in the past. Under the labour reform, government wants to concise 38 labour laws into four broad codes on wages, industrial relations, social security and safety & working conditions.

Central trade unions have been pushing for the 12-point charter of demands and went on nationwide strikes on September 2 in 2015, 2016 and 2017, to press for their demands, including minimum monthly wages of Rs 15,000 and minimum assured pension of Rs 3,000.