10 months ago
Unions Criticize New Labour Codes
The Unorganised Workers and Employees Congress (UWEC), United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), and All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) are very upset about new labour laws in India.
They say these laws make it easier for companies to fire people and remove protections for workers.
The laws also make it harder for workers to form unions and get benefits.
The unions want the government to cancel these laws and create a single board to help all workers.
The new laws also include some good things, like making sure all workers, including gig workers, can get benefits like health check-ups and insurance.
But the unions say these good things are not enough to make up for the bad parts of the laws.
The government says the new laws will make it easier for companies to hire and fire workers, but the unions are worried this will lead to more job losses and less safety for workers.
Unions demand the revocation of four Labour Codes, calling them anti-worker and corporate-centric.
Key changes include increased layoff thresholds, weakened service conditions, and normalization of fixed-term employment.
Gig worker benefits are criticized as tokenistic, offering only registration and ID cards without enforceable benefits.
The new labour codes raise the threshold for government approval of layoffs from 100 to 300 workers, making it easier for companies to fire employees.
The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSH) Code, 2020, raises the threshold for factory-level safety rules, excluding many smaller units from these requirements.
- Who
- Unorganised Workers and Employees Congress (UWEC), United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)
- What
- Criticism of new Labour Codes for undermining worker rights and job security
- Where
- Press conference at AICC headquarters, meeting with Financial Services Secretary M Nagaraju, and interviews with Moneycontrol
- When
- Demands made on Thursday, implementation of codes on 21 November 2025
- Why
- Belief that the Codes are anti-worker, undermine labour rights, and promote contractual jobs
Key facts
- Organizations Involved
- Unorganised Workers and Employees Congress (UWEC), United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)
- Labour Codes in Question
- Code on Wages (2019), Industrial Relations Code (2020), Social Security Code (2020), Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (2020)
- Key Changes
- Increased layoff threshold, weakened service conditions, normalization of fixed-term employment, reduced safety coverage, stricter union formation rules
- Impact on Workers
- Undermines job security, wage stability, workplace safety, and social protection for over 90% of India's workforce and bank employees
- Gig Worker Benefits
- Criticized as tokenistic, offering only registration and ID cards without enforceable benefits
- Proposed Solutions
- Establishment of a single, strong Welfare Board for all unorganised workers, promotion of regular jobs in banks
- Implementation Date
- 21 November 2025
- Social Security Expansions
- Eligibility for EPF, ESI, gratuity, and other social protection schemes for all workers, including gig and platform workers
Timeline
Govt unveils four new Labour Codes, Nov 21, 2025.
Unions UWEC, UFBU cry foul, demand codes' scrapping.
They deem codes harmful to workers' rights, job security.
Nov 13, 2025: Unions' demand echoes Nov 21 codes' launch.
Quotes
Vandana Gurnani
Union Secretary for Labour and Employment
“Universalisation of minimum wages, universalisation of social security, and universalisation of occupational safety and health.”
thehindubusinessline.com
Sources
Can new labour codes trigger mass layoffs?- Unions raise the red flag on norms for industrial units - Industry News
UWEC urges PMO to scrap four Labour Codes, calls them anti-worker
How the New Labour Codes will expand insurance and social security coverage
Bank Unions Demand To Power Up Regular Jobs Over Contractual, Boosting Employee Facilities & Social Security
‘Universalisation is the core’: Labour Secretary Vandana Gurnani explains the new Labour Codes
New labour codes offer enhanced maternity support, equal pay, and flexibility in workplace
GDP: New labour codes and opportunity for India’s weakest states
Kerala refuses to implement Centre’s labour codes after unions mount stiff opposition
