Kerala to host Labour Conclave 2025 on Dec 19

Kerala will hold a conclave to oppose the Centre's consolidation of 29 laws into four new labour codes, state Minister V Sivankutty said here on Monday.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the event, titled 'Labour Conclave 2025', scheduled to be held in the state capital on December 19, Sivankutty told reporters here.

Stepping up his attack on the newly introduced labour codes, Sivankutty described them as ''anti-worker'' and a ''violation of federal principles'', alleging that several provisions undermine workers' rights and erode the powers of the states.

''The conclave aims to formulate alternative policy approaches to protect the interests of workers and states within the federal framework,'' the state labour minister said. Labour ministers from various states, including Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and Telangana, will participate in the conclave as part of a coordinated opposition to the labour laws imposed by the Centre, Sivankutty added.

Kerala Finance and Law Minister K N Balagopal and Industries Minister P Rajeev are also expected to take part. Sharing further details, Sivankutty said two key technical sessions will be held during the conclave with the participation of former Supreme Court judges, the Advocate General, trade union leaders, legal experts and academics.

The first session, chaired by Advocate General K Gopalakrishna Kurup, will focus on the impact of the labour codes, with a keynote address by former Supreme Court judge Justice Gopala Gowda.

The second session will examine alternative strategies to counter the labour codes in the context of Kerala's labour policy.

The conclave will conclude with a policy declaration aimed at safeguarding the state's interests, the minister said.

Representatives of various central trade unions opposing the labour codes are also expected to later meet the Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and submit a memorandum reflecting the demands outlined in the policy declaration.

The union government recently notified all four labour codes, pending since 2020, ushering in major reforms such as universal social security coverage for gig workers, mandatory appointment letters for all employees, and statutory minimum wages with timely payments across sectors.

Sivankutty reiterated that the state government would not adopt an anti-worker stance at any cost while implementing the new labour codes.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)