Central trade unions plan to continue their boycott of the Labour 20 (L20) meetings taking place as part of India’s G20 presidency.
While the labour ministry is keen on brokering some agreement before the next L20 meeting in June, trade unions have indicated that they are unwilling to budge unless RSS affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) is replaced as the chair of the meeting.
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Their demand is that, as has been the past practice, the International Trade Union Confederation should be the chair of the L-20 meeting. Alternatively, ITUC affiliate Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) should be made chair of the meeting.
“L20 chair should not be based on a political choice but a democratic exercise. We have written to the government twice on the issue already. We have no problem with INTUC being made the L20 chair,” said Tapan Sen, general secretary, CITU.
L20 is one of the 11 engagement groups of the G20, which is led by the non-government efforts. It comprises leaders and representatives of trade union centres of G20 countries who provide analyses and policy recommendations aimed at addressing labour-related issues.
Sanjay Kumar Singh, general secretary, INTUC, said the trade union as well as ITUC has also written to the labour ministry on the issue, seeking a review of the decision to appoint BMS as the chair. The 10 central trade unions are likely to meet later this month when they will discuss the future course of action on this issue, he said.
The next L20 meeting is scheduled in Patna between June 21 and 23 and the government is keen on ensuring participation of all domestic and international trade unions in it.
BMS national president Shri Hiranmay Pandya, who is also the chair of the L20, said that according to the last verification exercise done by the government, BMS has the largest membership and was hence asked to preside over it.
“We had invited all trade unions even for the inception meeting but they chose to stay away. We are a potential affiliate of ITUC and so we should also be considered as a chair,” he said, adding that the trade union had also written to the ITUC on the issue but it did not agree to the proposal.
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Pandya said some of the trade unions such as National Front of Indian Trade Unions and Hind Mazdoor Kisan Panchayat have supported it and attended the inception L20 meeting in Amritsar. Other trade unions should also participate in the next meeting, he said.
The first L20 meeting was held in Amritsar on March 19 and 20 and BMS was the lead national trade union for organising it. The 10 central trade unions had at that time also decided not to attend it.