New Delhi, Feb 26: Government today assured the Rajya Sabha that the interest of workers would be protected in the changed economic environment involving globalisation and liberalisation even as the opposition charged the government with following anti-labour policies and "re-distributing" poverty in the country. Sharing members' concern regarding hardships faced by workers due to economic changes taking place in the country, Labour Minister Sahib Singh Verma assured them that the interest of workers would be protected.
In a statement, he said the protection of the interest of employees was an integral part of the disinvestment policy and suitable provisions related to employees' interests were included in the shareholders' agreement signed at the time of disinvestment.
The number of strikes and lockouts declined during 1997 to 2000 although there had been increase in mandays lost due to these disturbances, he said adding during 1997 to 2000, there has been some increase in workers affected by retrenchment and closure.
Initiating a discussion on a calling attention on the growing labour unrest due loss of job, Jibon Roy (CPI-M) said with the country facing an alarming situation on the unemployment front, the ministry of labour could be renamed as ministry of employer.
Stating the growth rate of labour force had gone down alarmingly, he said the employment opportunity was going down in organised industries both in public and private sectors and the work force in the agriculture sector had also declined.
Bureau Report