The Centre hopes to implement the long pending Labour Codes as soon as possible but continues to wait for States to finalise publishing their rules.
“We want to implement the Codes as soon as possible but a number of States are still in the process of drafting their rules,” Labour Ministry sources said, noting that Labour is a concurrent subject and they would have to wait for States before going for a roll out.
National Labour Conference
The issue will be taken up at the forthcoming National Labour Conference of Labour Ministers and Labour Secretaries, which is the first such national meeting since 2014.
One of the sessions at the two-day conference on August 25 and 26 in Tirupati, is on the framing of rules under the four Labour Codes and modalities for implementation along with development of portals for licensing, registration, returns, inspections, the source noted.
“All States are working on the rules for the Labour Codes. It is a work in progress,” the source pointed out.
Implementing the Codes
As many as 31 States and UTs have already pre-published the draft rules under the Code on Wages, 2019 while 26 have done so for the Industrial Relations Code, 2020. As many as 25 States and UTs have also pre-published draft rules on the Code on Social Security, 2020; and 24 have done so on the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.
India Inc has called for the implementation of the Codes if not at one go then at least in a staggered manner and the expectation is that these would be rolled out over the next few months.
The Ministry is also engaged in consultations with employer associations and trade unions over the various provisions of the Codes.
“We have been meeting with employer associations. We have also held discussions with six trade unions and had discussions with another two on Tuesday,” the source said.
Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, which met Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday, said in a statement that it supports the Code on Social Security and Code on Wages but does not support a number of provisions of the Industrial Relations Code such as fixed term employment.