Oppose Amendment to Industrial Disputes Act

Date: 
Saturday, February 23, 2002

Press Statement

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

CPI(M) Condemns Union Cabinet Decision to Amend ID Act

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the decision of the NDA government to endorse the amendment to the Industrial Disputes Act providing for permitting lay-off, retrenchment and closure of industrial units employing upto 1000 employees without obtaining clearance from the government. If this proposal is approved by Parliament, it would grant blanket right of hire and fire to industrial establishments employing 85 per cent of the organised workers in India.

Despite opposition by the entire trade union movement, including those belonging to the ruling parties, the non-chalant attitude taken by the NDA government to please the World Bank bosses will only invite powerful confrontation with the working class of the country.

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) appeals to the trade union movement irrespective of affiliation to raise their powerful voice all over India against this atrocious piece of legislation, so that the NDA government is prevented from attacking the trade union and democratic rights achieved by the working class over the last several years.