R-DAY TABLEAU
Code, 2020; and the Code on Social Security, 2020 — merged 24 central labour laws and were passed by Parliament in September as part of National Democratic Alliance government’s reform agenda. The Code on Social Security, 2020 promised universal social security for the first time, for both organised and informal workers as well as gig and platform workers.
Labour unions haven’t been enthusiastic about the new labour codes. Tapan Sen, a leader of the Centre for Trade Unions, said labour groups had met the minister on January 20 and rejected the changes, calling them exploitative because they allowed hiring and firing of workers by management teams.
“We want this to be scrapped and fresh discussions to be initiated. This R-day initiative is just to hide the governmenr’s misdeeds,’’ said Sen.
The tableau will also have gig workers, platform workers and artistes performing as delivery agents and cargo carriers.
“With the tableau, we want to showcase how the new labour code will give a new direction to the lives of labourers,’’ said Gangwar. The front of the tableau will have a “confident and empowered worker holding a tool and leading the way. A yellow safety cap suggests social security, wage security and health security under labour reforms.’’
Anindita Adhikari, who works with the Stranded Workers Action Network that has done several studies on the impact the lockdown had on the informal workforce, said the government was “valourising the workers after crushing them’’ — a reference to the impact of the lockdown that cost hundreds of thousands of jobs.
She also mocked the image of the tableau. “Which worker looks like this? Certainly not the informal workers who make up the bulk of the workers in the country,’’ Adhikari said.
A labour ministry spokesperson responded by saying the government had set up 24x7 helplines,
helped release wages and cleared emergency provident fund withdrawals in record time. According to the government’s own report, prepared by a group of ministers, 95 million urban workers felt the impact of the pandemic and the lockdown.