Team Goemkarponn
VASCO: On the occasion of International Labour Day, the Goa United Workers Union (GUWU) extended greetings to workers across the state, both in the formal and informal sectors. However, the union also voiced serious concerns over the implementation of the four new labour codes passed by the central government during the COVID-19 pandemic.
GUWU President Olencio Simoes stated that although May Day is traditionally a celebration of workers, this year marks a “black day” for Goan employees. He warned that the four new codes — the Code on Wages, the Industrial Relations Code, the Code on Social Security, and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code — dilute 29 previous labour laws into just four, which he termed as “draconian” and exploitative.
“These codes will allow employers to hire and fire at will, reduce job security, cut down safety measures, and potentially encourage child labour. Women workers too stand to lose protections, as workplace safety and harassment-related provisions have been severely weakened,” said Simoes. He further appealed to Goa’s Labour & Employment Minister not to implement these codes in the state.
Simoes also criticised the centralisation of labour law through these codes, arguing it removes states’ powers to make region-specific amendments and excludes agricultural, domestic, and many service sector workers from protections.
GUWU General Secretary Arun Galve added that the codes violate key International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions ratified by India. He said that the standard eight-hour workday and 48-hour workweek are now under threat, with overtime allowances no longer guaranteed. Galve also pointed out that Goa’s current minimum wage of ₹405 for unskilled workers may be reduced under a uniform national wage code.
“Remuneration components like bonus, HRA, PF, conveyance, and gratuity are at risk of exclusion under the new code, harming workers’ livelihoods in the name of ease of doing business,” said Galve, calling for the immediate scrapping of the four codes in Goa.
GUWU concluded its Labour Day statement by reaffirming solidarity with workers and vowing to continue fighting against the implementation of these new labour reforms.
