New Delhi: The Confederation of Central Trade Unions (CONCENT), a collective of 14 national labor organizations, has shown robust support for the recently announced Labour Codes by the Union Government, describing them as a “historic and progressive transformation” that will benefit nearly 400 million unorganized workers. In a comprehensive joint statement, CONCENT remarked that the four Labour Codes replace “fragmented, outdated colonial-era laws” with a cohesive, transparent, and worker-focused framework that aligns with the goals of Viksit Bharat 2047.
The unions commended the “universalisation of social security” as a significant achievement, pointing out that unorganized laborers, gig and platform workers, migrants, and those in informal sectors will now receive statutory social protection, including health care, pension-linked benefits, disability assistance, and maternity protection similar to ESIC. They also emphasized reforms such as the requirement for written appointment letters, legally enforceable minimum wages, the expansion of digital wage systems, and improved safety standards, including annual health check-ups and workplace safety committees. The unions asserted that these initiatives will enhance worker dignity, diminish exploitation, and foster industrial harmony.
CONCENT called for increased public awareness, urging all stakeholders to “inform the working class of the reality” and to organize meetings, marches, and conventions in support of the Labour Codes. Leaders from BMS, NFITU, TUCC, HMKP, INTUC, NLO, FFR, AIBEU, ESCI, HMKU, KLU, NFFW, BRMGSU, and FSUI endorsed the statement. The introduction of the new Labour Codes signifies a transformative phase in India’s labor environment—one that harmonizes worker welfare with enterprise efficiency, according to government data released on Friday. The four Labour Codes encompass the Code on Wages, 2019; the Industrial Relations Code, 2020; the Code on Social Security, 2020; and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020.
This historic reform simplifies compliance, modernizes outdated regulations, and establishes an efficient framework that supports ease of business while protecting workers’ rights and welfare. The empowerment of labor is fundamental to a self-reliant, prosperous India.