Industrial relations code bill introduced in Lok Sabha: Bill to provide fixed-term employment, amalgamate three labour laws

New Delhi: A bill which provides for fixed-term employment and amalgamates three labour laws, Trade Union Act, Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act and Industrial Disputes Act, was introduced in Lok Sabha on Thursday. [caption id=“attachment_5828171” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of the Parliament of India. Twitter @loksabhatv[/caption] The Industrial Relations Code, 2019 was introduced by Labour minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar who said that there was nothing in it which was against the interests of labourers. Opposition members including Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Suagata Roy of Trinamool Congress opposed the introduction of the bill and said it should be sent to the standing committee. The bill provides for flexibility to the exit provisions relating to retrenchment for which the threshold for prior approval of appropriate Government has been kept unchanged at 100 employees but there is provision for changing ‘such number of employees’ through notification. The bill provides a definition of fixed-term employment and vests powers with the government officers for adjudication of some disputes to lessen the burden on tribunals. The draft code on Industrial Relations has been prepared after “amalgamating, simplifying and rationalizing” relevant provisions of Trade Unions Act, 1926, Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946, Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.