Members of the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) staged a protest demonstration at the Gandhi Circle in Sindhanur of Raichur district on Thursday demanding withdrawal of the notification related to the implementation of new Labour Codes.

The protesters burnt copies of the notification and urged the Centre to immediately withdraw the Labour Codes and the related notification issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on May 8.

Addressing the gathering at the agitation site, AICCTU State joint secretary Nagaraj Pujar said that the BJP-led Union government has implemented the four Labour Codes – Code on Wages, 2019; Code on Social Security, 2020; Industrial Relations Code, 2020 and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 – without prior public discussion or consultation with trade unions.

He claimed that the new Labour Codes will deprive crores of workers of their fundamental rights and weaken labour protection laws.

According to him, 47% of registered factories in the country will fall outside the purview of safety and health regulations due to the new provisions.

Mr. Pujar also said that making a 14-day strike notice mandatory across sectors amounted to a direct attack on workers right to protest. He also claimed that the Labour Codes will significantly reduce minimum wages and weaken social security measures for workers.

The protesters expressed concern that the implementation of the Labour Codes will dilute workplace safety rights and increase the possibility of women workers being compelled to work night shifts.

They also said that the new provisions will encourage contractual employment by redefining the nature of work and will adversely affect women, Dalit and tribal workers.

The demonstrators described the Labour Codes as “pro-corporate” measures that can push workers towards “modern slavery” and demanded their immediate repeal.

A memorandum listing their demands was submitted to Labour Minister Santosh Lad through officials of the taluk Labour Department.

The memorandum urged the State government to prevent the implementation of the notification in Karnataka and convene a meeting of trade unions to discuss the issue.