Jairam Ramesh slams new labour codes, says they ignore core worker demands

New Delhi, Nov 22 Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Saturday sharply criticised the newly-implemented labour codes, arguing that they merely repackage 29 existing laws without meeting fundamental worker demands such as a national minimum wage of Rs 400 per day and an employment guarantee for urban areas.

He also pointed out that the codes lack fully notified rules, preventing their complete enforcement despite being projected as a major reform.

India's labour framework saw its most extensive overhaul since Independence on November 21, when the government brought the four labour codes into force.

Covering wages, industrial relations, social security, and occupational safety and health, these codes replace 29 older laws to create a consolidated legislative structure aimed at modernising labour regulation.

While the government claims the new framework streamlines compliance and improves ease of doing business, trade unions continue to express concern about the possible weakening of worker safeguards.

In a post on X, Ramesh said, "29 existing labour-related laws have been re-packaged into 4 codes. This is being marketed as some revolutionary reform when even the Rules have yet to be notified. But will these codes make these 5 essential demands of India's workers for Shramik Nyay a reality?"

He listed the demands as a national minimum wage of Rs 400 per day, including for MGNREGA, a right to Health law ensuring universal health coverage worth Rs 25 lakh, an employment guarantee act for cities, full social security for all unorganised workers, including life and accident insurance, and a commitment to end contractual employment in core government functions.

Ramesh referred to the Congress' Shramik Nyay platform, which outlines five justice guarantees for workers and emphasised that the new codes fail to address these commitments.

He also highlighted the gig worker welfare laws enacted in Congress-ruled Karnataka in 2025 and the earlier framework introduced in Rajasthan in 2023 as examples of what he described as more forward-looking worker-centric reforms that the Centre has overlooked.

"The Modi Government must learn from the examples of the Congress Government in Karnataka and the former Government in Rajasthan, which have pioneered labour reforms for the 21st century with their groundbreaking gig worker laws that preceded the new codes," he added.

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