Leaders of All Party Trade Unions JAC of Visakhapatnam Port said that the implementation of Labour Codes will deprive workers of their right to go on strike. Once the mandatory strike notice is issued, the Labour officials would admit conciliation after which workers will lose their right to strike.
Addressing a media conference here on Monday (July 07), the JAC leaders said the new Labour Codes would also deprive the workers of their right to form into a union to fight for their rights. They alleged that even before the Labour Codes were brought out by the Centre, various experiments were being made for the past 10 years like non-registration of unions formed in various industries by the managements and the government.
The Port JAC leaders sought implementation of the Major Ports Wage Agreement made in September 2024 and withdrawal of the Major Port Authorities Amendment Bill, 2025, and withdrawal of the system of leasing of assets of major ports under the National Monetisation Pipeline scheme.
Later, the JAC leaders Pothana (AITUC), J. Suribabu (HMS), V.S. Padmanabha Raju (CITU), B. Lakshmana Rao (VDLB), N. Kanaka Rao (CFTUI national president) and Chandu (INTUC) released a poster on the General Strike to be observed all over the country on July 9.
They explained that after admission of the conciliation by the Labour officials, any strike by the workers would be treated as ‘illegal’. Workers who resort to strike against the guidelines would have to forego their wages for eight days for each day of strike. The union leaders could be jailed apart from cancellation of union registration and recognition.
On the other hand, employers who could be jailed for non-payment of PF and ESI to the workers, could no longer be jailed under the new Labour Codes. In the past employers used to comply with the rules as non-payment of PF and ESI could land them in jail. They had to pay at least 50% of the arrears to the workers, to obtain bail. This apart, the Centre has brought out a new law ‘Jan Viswas’ lifting 180 different punishments prescribed for non-implementation of labour laws under the old rules, they alleged.
The Central and State governments have done away with the system of inspection of factories and industries. No law would be implemented without inspection. The existing laws can be amended by Parliament, but the new Labour Codes empower the State governments to amend the codes according to their whims and fancies.
