Implementation complete, but workers still vulnerable
The Indian government has completed the implementation framework for four new labour codes, but critics argue the rules remain regressive and fail to protect workers. Concerns persist regarding the lack of tenure limits for fixed-term employment and potential exploitation of labor rights.
Why it matters
These codes represent a significant shift in Indian labor law, impacting millions of workers and the balance of power between employers and unions.
With the notification of the rules for the four labour codes in May, the implementation framework for these codes is now complete. Trade unions and academics have raised serious objections to several provisions in the new labour codes, arguing that they are regressive and detrimental to the interests of workers. It has also taken nearly six years to operationalise the codes enacted during 2019-20. The codes are The Code on Wages, 2019, The Industrial Relations Code, 2020, The Code on Social Security, 2020 and The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.
The article focuses heavily on the objections raised by trade unions and the potential negative impact on worker protections.
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