Trade unions deliberate on draft bills on unorganised workers

New Delhi, May 31 (UNI) The National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector (NCEUS) today held talks with leaders of central trade unions and organisations representing unorganised sector workers to ascertain their views on two draft Bills proposed by it, relating to conditions of work for agricultural and non-agricultural workers.

The discussions were held here as part of the regional and national consultations organised by the Commission on its various proposals in a run-up to finalising its report for submission to the Centre.

The Commission had earlier submitted a detailed report and Draft Bill on social security to the government a year ago on which the Cabinet took a decision in its meeting on May 24.

Today's meeting of the Commission with the trade unions was presided over by Chairman of the NCEUS Arjun Sengupta.

Representatives of eight Central Trade Unions -- W R Varadarajan (CITU), Abani Roy (UTUC), R A Mital (HMS), S N Thakur (AITUC), Naresh (INTUC), S P Singh (BMS), C Chattopdhyay (NIFTU), K Chakraborty (UTUC-LS), Jaya Arunachalam (Working Women's Forum), Shalini Trivedi (SEWA), Subhash Bhatnagar and R Geetha (National Campaign Committee for Unorganized Sector Workers), N P Samy (National Centre for Labour) -- were among those who attended.

In the deliberations on the issue of working conditions and protection and promotion of livelihood of unorganised workers, the union representatives appreciated the detailed report of the Commission. They agreed with the thrust of the measures proposed by the NCEUS for improving the lot of the unorganised workers.

They agreed with the Commission's proposal for maximum hours of work, overtime rates, days of paid rest following continuous weekly employment, and prohibition of night work for adolescents for all agricultural and non-agricultural unorganised wage workers.

They also endorsed that no deductions be allowed from wages, advances or payments to be made to wage workers, seasonal migrants or home workers, except in accordance with law.

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