Nine Principles That Will Help Unify Labour

Context: Unification of labour laws will ensure decentralisation of labour right at enterprise level that in turn  will reduce inspector raj and litigations.

Nine Principles that will Help Unify Labour Legislation

• Unification of all labour laws: not just those administered by the labour ministry, but all labour laws

• Eliminating formal and informal distinction: between manufacturing (factory act) and services (Establishments Acts).

• Uniform Registration system for employees: be it formal, informal, migrant, Part time, work from home.

• Uniform Registration system for employers: the responsibilities placed on employers must also devolve on contractors.

• Minimal Union government template: as labour conditions differ widely among states.

• Fixed time frame for legislation:  as amending legislation takes time therefore, what should be under “rules" should not be in the body of a statute. 

• Labour contract: stipulating over-time, work conditions and productivity-linked incentives along with avenues of redressal.

• Collectively delivery of safety and welfare provisions: by a cluster of establishments covering superannuation schemes and medical, life, accident and occupational disease insurance.

• Employee association at the enterprise-level: with mandatory registration and an electronic register and their funds should not be used for political purposes, nor should non-employees be members.

Conclusion: Employee rights are best served if one decentralizes everything, right down to the enterprise level.