Lok Sabha Passes Three Labour Codes for ‘Healthy Environment to Workers’ Amid Boycott by Opposition

“With these steps, we had started work for labour reforms,” he said. While moving the bills on the codes for consideration and passage, the minister said the government has come out with the changes in the legislations after extensive consultations with state governments and other stakeholders.

He said about three-fourth of the recommendations of the Parliamentary standing committee, which scrutinised the codes, have been incorporated in the bills by the government. On Saturday, Gangwar introduced the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, and the Code on Social Security, 2020.

Over 29 labour laws have been merged into four codes and one of them – Code on Wages Bill, 2019 – has already been passed, according to the minister. The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, will consolidate and amend the laws regulating the occupational safety, health and working conditions of persons employed in an establishment and related matters.

The Industrial Relations Code, 2020, seeks to consolidate and amend the laws relating to trade unions, conditions of employment in industrial establishments or undertaking, investigation and settlement of industrial disputes. The Code on Social Security, 2020, will amend and consolidate laws relating to social security with the goal to extend social security to all employees and workers either in the organised sector or the unorganised sector.