CPI MP alleges government inaction, urges PM Modi to give directions for convening Indian Labour Conference

New Delhi [India], April 24 : Communist Party of India (CPI ) MP and AIUTC working president Binoy Viswam has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention for convening Indian Labour Conference, saying there has been "government inaction".

He urged the Prime Minister to give directions to the Ministry of Labour and Employment to convene the Indian Labour Conference at the earliest.

"I write this letter to draw your attention towards government inaction in convening the Indian Labour Conference in the last eight years. The Indian Labour Conference (ILC) is the apex level tripartite consultative mechsm under the Ministry of Labour & Employment to advise the Union Government on issues concerning the working class of the country. The last Indian Labour conference was convened on July 221, 2015 and it has been discontinued since against the general practice of holding it annually," he said.

The MP said India is also under a legal obligation to do so since the Parliament ratified Convention No. 144 of the ILO related to strengthening the tripartite mechsm.

Noting that India will host G-20 Summit this year with the theme of One Planet, One Family, One Future, he said the effects of changes in labour rights, environment and economy "are being insufficiently understood and addressed due to lack of consultations".

"Our understanding of these changes and how they have affected the working class is based on weak methodologies and calls for an urgent need to convene the Indian Labour Conference. It is a matter of serious concern that the Union Government is reluctant and unilateral in engaging with workers and their orgzations to resolve pending labour issues."

Viswam said more than ten central trade unions have been requesting the Labour Ministry to convene the ILC at the earliest

"The Indian Labour conference will equip the Government in understanding worker's issues post COVID-19 pandemic, threats to labour rights and impact of climate change. It will help India in presenting these issues before the world during the G20 summit and coming up with a globally coordinated, state-led, rapid, just transition to combat climate change keeping in mind labour rights."

He said not convening the conference for eight years "is completely unjustifiable" and gives impression that the Union Government "is not serious about the working masses of the country".

"I would request you to look into the matter with urgency and direct the Ministry of Labour and Employment to convene the Indian Labour Conference at the earliest to uphold the spirit of tripartism and dialogue," he said.