Nationwide Protests Erupt Against Labour Codes and Policies

Central trade unions, farmers' groups, and power sector engineers held nationwide protests against four new labour codes, demanding withdrawal and policy reversal. The demonstrators oppose measures that undermine labour rights and farmers' interests, advocating for MSP, a loan waiver for farmers, and opposition to electricity sector privatization.

On Wednesday, a coalition of central trade unions, the farmers' organization Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, and the All India Power Engineers Federation orchestrated widespread protests across India, demanding the repeal of four newly implemented labour codes.

The government, having recently notified these labour codes, is crafting a landscape of sweeping reforms, integrating universal social security for gig workers, mandated employee appointment letters, and enforcement of minimum wages along with timely payroll practices.

However, critics argue these codes diminish rights to strike, complicate union registration, ease de-recognition, obstruct conciliation, disband labour courts, and set up a tribunal that centralizes labour disputes. Such criticism is resonating nationwide as tens of thousands demonstrate in solidarity. Protesters have also opposed the privatization inherent in the Electricity Amendment Bill.

(With inputs from agencies.)