Kochi: INTUC on Saturday demanded proper
implementation of labour laws in the country and asked the
Centre to fix a national minimum wage.
National minimum wage should be fixed by the Central
government and it should not be left to the state governments
to decide, INTUC national president G Sanjeeva Reddy told
reporters here. The national minimum wage should be the
benchmark on which wages are fixed, he said.
Alleging that the central, state PSUs and private sector
units were converting permanent employees into contract
workers, he said doors were being opened for contract workers.
"We will press government to prohibit contract system."
Contract workers should be paid on a par with permanent
workers, he said, adding it should be equal pay for equal
work.
No government was ensuring proper implementation of the
nearly 100 odd labour laws beneficial to workers as they want
new industries to come up, Reddy alleged.
The Centre should change its labour policy and adopt a new
approach to the workers` problems, he said, adding INTUC also
wanted it to adopt a new global economic policy.
Reddy also sought setting up a workers Capital Trust Fund.
Stressing the need to revive sick industries, he said they
were closing down in private and government sectors, which was
hurting the workers.
He said there should be law to control salaries.
Delegates from various parts of the country and about 40
delegates from abroad are attending the three-day conference
being held for the first time in Kerala.
Bureau Report
