India’s New Labour Codes and their implications

India’s New Labour Codes and their implications

Neelam Rajasekhar Reddy Research Centre ( NRRRC), CR Foundation, Kondapur has organized a Seminar On “India’s New labour Codes and their implications” on 22nd Jan, 2026 between 10:45 am and 1:45pm at Indrajit Gupta hall. About 150 persons from different unions and intellectuals from different walks of life participated. Sri K. Ajay Kumar, convenor ,NRRRC, Welcomed the speakers Sri K.Srinivas Reddy ,Chairman, Media Academy, Telangana Government ; Sri P.Prasad ,National Vice president, Indian federation of trade unions (IFTU) and Smt Amarjit Kaur, General Secretary ,All india trade union Congress ( AITUC ) and national secretary ,CPI to the dias. Sri T.suresh babu, Director, NRRRC introduced the topic of the day and moderated the dias.

Sri K.Srinivas Reddy, President ,Indian journalists association ,explained how the journalists are lost out of protection under the new labour codes. He Explained the genesis of the two acts passed after independence as per the recommendations of commission Of enquiry ,1952 to improve the standards of journalism in the country. He mentioned Working journalists act,1955 and the three acts passed in 1958 leading to the establishment of press council of India, Registration Of newspapers and wage based for the revision of wages of the working journalists .These two acts vital to the welfare of journalists and press Freedom were among the 29 acts repealed and are made part of one of the row labour codes. He Mentioned that the newspaper owners opposed to the acts When they were passed but the supreme court of India smashed those petitions and upheld the south estate and its role in ensuring press freedom. In contrast to 8 hours working day for the industrial workers, 6 hours duty was prescribed to journalists as they were equated with the work of scientists and thinkers. The labour code is, for the name save extended to digital and electronic media, But no wages were prescribed for them .He mentioned that the last wage board was in 2007, whose recommendations were implemented in 2011. Since then salaries of central and state government employees were revised twice but there was no wage revision for journalists during the last 15 years .Only 23 percent of the journalists benefited from the implementation of recommendations. The 50 Percent concession given to journalists for train travel was scrapped by the NDA government .Wide variation in the remuneration is noticed. While the editors are paid a salary of Rs 30Lakh per month ,Journalists and cameraman are paid between Rs 15000 to Rs 25000 Per month .He mentioned that rich industrialists are buying the TV Channels and newspapers and freedom the press freedom .It wants to change even the constitution but Its not able to do it for want of two thirds majority.

 Sri P.Prasad ,National vice president IFTU Mentioned that the respect enjoyed by labour /workers. But in the recent times, labour is looked down .Even trade union leaders are afraid of calling themselves as labour leaders because of the insecurity and reduced dignity. He mentioned that 29 out of 44 labour acts are summarized in four labour codes .The trade union act passed in 1926 is being given as burial on 1st April, 2026, Exactly after a century of its passing. He mentioned that the reforms passed after independence were progressive in nature ,but those passed since 1991 are regressive in mature. Since 2014 after NDA government came in ,there is a systematic effort in altering the progressive features of acts. Wage code was passed in 2019 and the other three labour codes to the passed during Corona period .He noted the OXFarm report which mentioned that the income of the top 10 percent has increased from 75 percent to 90 percent and that of the remaining 90 percent now. He mentioned that Karl Marx distinguished between absolute poverty has fallen, relative poverty has increased widely .Mentioned that every right increased pay happened because of struggles of the working class.Revolution in soviet union has led to the enactment of rights and salaries of workers in all the countries of the world .The present labour codes has changed the language from industrial disputes act to industrial relations code ,Which means a lot in practice .Dispute is between two classes while relations refer to the husband -Wife relation or elder to younger brother relation.

The labour inspectors term is changed to facilitators.He cited the case of France where the retirement age is increased to 64 years and similar effort to increase working hours can lead to increased unemployment in the country. Abolition workers rights through labour codes can lead to jungle raj and increased exploitation may rouse the consciousness of workers and force then to rebel and retaliate.

       Smt.Amarjit Kaur, general secretary of ALL INDIA TRADE UNION CONGRESS (AITUC) endured the views of Srinivasa Reddy about threat to freedom of press and its independence. Modi media or godi media is the only source of information to the people as the electronic media is captured by corporates. There is no scope for independent ideas or thoughts and only one version is being voiced in the country She mentioned that ever since AITUC was formed in 1921,It has spearheaded the struggles of the workers .Its second conference at Jhariar in 1921 called the complete independence for India. She proudly recalled that working class of India gave direction to the political movement in India. She pointed out that RSS ideologue ,Hegdewar called the revolutionaries like Bhagat singh and Chandrasekhar Azad as ‘derailed minds’. He didn’t consider British as enemies of the country. Instead, he called Muslims, Christians and communists as enemies of India. Those who worked against the independence movement are now in power and are trying to take away the rights of working class earned through several struggles over the last 100 years . she said that the new B.N.S ACT Provisions can be interpreted to brand trade union leaders as ‘terrorists’ and jail them. The present labour codes intend to convert the workers back . She detailed the provisions of the sour labour codes. The floor level minimum wage was mentioned as Rs 178 per day, which is aimed at lowering the wages which are already low .At present also only seven percent of workers in the country are able to benefit from the labour laws .Contract labour, daily wage labour, self employed workers and agricultural workers are outside the garn bit of labour laws. The labour codes are aimed at depressing the wages further, Snatching the minimum wages from the informal economy .The so called universalization of minium wage advertised by the government is a big lie. The parity of wages between men and women workers achieved through struggles is being watering down. The industrial relations code is making union registration nearly impossible. Re-registration of unions is becoming easy. It is specifying the only the labour union with more than 50 percent membership can be a negotiating partner. All labour courts are finished, labour inspectors are thrown out and only regular courts can hear the disputes. She pointed out the labour codes are a threat to federal structure of the constitution. All powers are concentrated with the central government and the states are lost powerless. Earlier, industries employing more than 100 workers cannot be closed without the permission of the government . Now it is modified to 300 workers, throwing out 80 percent of industries out of the orbit of protection .Earlier, verification of membership of unions was alone once in two to twice years ,Now it is entirely left to the discretion of the government. In the name of case of doing business labour codes are removing the rights of state governments and workers. Government also enacted three farm laws which were withdrawn due to the militant struggle of farmers .As the government is unable to change the constitution, It is trying to change the acts. It is surrendering to international capital and Indian monopolists. The draft labour policy talks about manu smriti ,Sukra neeti ,Naradev neeti etc… all of which prohibit movement of labour from one occupation to another .Not only in India ,all over the world, the governments are trying to suppress labour movements and make themselves again .All trade union in the country have called for an all-India strike on February 12, 2026 against the labour codes. It is as do or die situation for the workers. They have to reject slavery and sight against labour codes. NRR RC Committee member Dr B.V. Vijayalakshmi proposed as vote of thanks and closed the meeting.

Palla Venkat Reddy, Ex MLA, CR Foundation General Secretary, PJ Chandrasekar Rao, Ex. MLC,

Yosuf, State President & National Vice President of AITUC, Rambabu, National Secretary of AIBEA participated in the meeting.