The new labour codes notified by the Union government are aimed at creating a “trade union-free atmosphere” in the country, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) State general secretary Elamaram Kareem has said.
He told the media here on Saturday that the new codes, which were conceived after merging 28 pre-Independence and post-Independence laws, would make collective bargaining by workers for their rights a hard task. “The Centre had put on hold the notification of these codes following stiff opposition by central trade unions. It looks like the Bihar results have boosted the Union government’s morale,” Mr. Kareem said.
It could become difficult to form trade unions at workplaces and factories. Managements would be left free to “hire” and “fire” employees at their own will. The number of permanent employees could come down as the government has introduced something called “fixed-term employment”, which would help managements recruit only those who dance to their tunes, Mr. Kareem said.
Though the codes promise social security benefits for gig workers, it was not yet clear how such schemes could be implemented. Inspection of workplaces by Labour department officials would now be conducted online alone. This would help proprietors give even a false account of the working atmosphere in their institutions, he said.
Asked if the Kerala government would frame rules for the implementation of labour codes, Mr. Kareem said it was unlikely to do so. The central trade unions are planning to take out protests across the country on November 26 in protest the against the new codes.
Published – November 22, 2025 10:19 pm IST
