No plans to ban contract labour : Chief Labour Commissioner

GREATER KAILASH, India - Feb. 7, 2014 - PRLog -- No plans to ban contract labour : Chief Labour Commissioner

Chief Labour Commissioner Mr. B K Sanwariya on Friday clarified that the Central Government has no plans to ban Contract Labour and that the arrangement is going to stay in all Central Government controlled utilities.

Delivering his address at a Seminar on “Contract Labour – A Challenge in its Management & Implementation” organized by PHD Chamber and National employers’ Federation here today, Mr. Sanwariya said that the industry would have to follow and adhere to all provisions and regulations of the Contract Labour Act to ensure that such labour was never maltreated to provoke industrial unrest.

The Act, according to him provides equal protection to employers and employees and in case the contract labour violates the established practices of the law, such labour force could be dismissed forthwith with following the procedures as provided under the Contract Labour Act.

Mr. Sanwariya explained that host of decisions and verdicts delivered by the highest Court of the land from 1960 onwards have justified enactment of contract labour and recommended for its continuation, however, with a condition that the welfare and interests of contract labour are always protected under all circumstances.  “If the conduct of the contract labour was found to be satisfactory and in consistent with established practices as provided by the Law, his/her contract generally stay intact”, said  the Chief Labour Commissioner (Central), Government of India.

“Even the government employee can be dismissed on false conduct provided the action initiated against such employees follow the due diligence”, he pointed out adding that as far as discipline part of any worker is concerned, the Law does not discriminate between the State owned employee and those employed through contract.

In his keynote address, Mr. A C Pandey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment, Government of India pointed out that continuation of Contract Labour Act  as per which the employers can avail of the services of contract employees is in the interest of industry and that is why, the government does not want to proscribe the Contract Labour Act.

“The government would want that the Act continues for, its provisions accord enough protection to both employers and employees and the only way that the Act can sustain provided it is well managed rather than eliminated”, said Mr. Pandey.

In her inaugural address, Director, International Labour Organization Ms. Tine Staermose demanded that the relationship between employer and employees in the past had created some sourness, however, with advancement in the process of liberalization, the contract labour particularly is conscious of the realities of the day.   However, the interest and concern of such workforce should also be addressed by the government and employers in fair manner.

In his welcome remarks, Mr. Ravi Wig, Chairman, Industrial Relations & HR Committee, PHD Chamber demanded that the government which empowers industry to hires workforce through contract should also be equipped to fire it.   Only 7% of the workforce, engaged in the organized sector was heard by the government through trade unions while 93% of such force fell in unorganized sector, the voice of which always stayed suppressed, the cause of which should be properly handled both by the government and industry, he pointed out.

ENDS.