NEW DELHI, Dec 3: Several Opposition MPs, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, protested in Parliament House complex on Wednesday against the new labour codes and demanded their scrapping.
MPs of the Congress, DMK, TMC, Left parties, among others, participated in the protest in front of the Makar Dwar of Parliament.
Slamming the Centre, Kharge accused the Modi government of being “anti-labour, anti-worker and pro-cronies”.
In a post on X after the protest by the opposition, Kharge said the Opposition parties protested against the Modi government in Parliament premises, expressing strong objection about the newly implemented labour codes.
“Some of the serious concerns in the New Codes are — threat to job security. Layoff threshold raised from 100 to 300 workers i.e. more than 80% of factories in India can now lay off or retrench workers without government approval, reducing job security. Expansion of Fixed Term Employment (FTE) will end many permanent jobs. Companies can now hire workers on short-term contracts, avoiding long-term benefits,” the Congress chief said.
He further said that although the code keeps an 8-hour day on paper, states can allow 12-hour shifts through flexible scheduling. “Coupled with state-determined overtime limits, this effectively permits much longer workdays, increasing fatigue and safety risks even when labelled ‘consensual’,” he said.
“Workers must wait 60 days before striking, plus a 14-day cooling-off period. This prevents quick action against unsafe or unfair conditions. Requiring one union with 51% membership to be the sole negotiator sidelines smaller unions and reduces representation for diverse worker groups,” Kharge said.
He pointed out that standing orders will not apply to units with fewer than 300 workers. “Basic rules on working hours, leave, and termination will not be mandatory. This may increase arbitrary ‘hire and fire’ practices in medium-sized units,” he said.
Alleging that the codes weakened safety and welfare of workers, Kharge said that by raising the definition of a factory to 20 workers (with power) and 40 workers (without power) where violations and unsafe conditions are most common, they fall outside the law’s safety net.
“The Code fails to extend safeguards for migrants, removing the displacement allowance and retaining a restrictive Rs 18,000 income cap that leaves many migrants without protection. Mandatory Aadhaar-based registration risks leaving out migrants and informal workers who often face documentation errors or limited digital access, creating barriers to social-security enrolment,” Kharge said.
By allowing offences to be settled for a fee, the Code turns wage violations into a payable cost, weakening accountability and effectively monetising illegality, he said.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who also participated in the protest, said that in the name of simplifying labour laws, the central government has brought in four new labour codes but under this pretext, the government has snatched away all the rights that workers had in their hands.
Carrying posters and placards against the new labour codes, the opposition MPs raised slogans demanding their rollback. (PTI)
