Economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) has advised that in order to create a more stable industrial climate in the nation, the Government should concentrate on creating clear rules and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to protect workers’ interests and those of industry. It further stated that measures to help resolve labour issues before they turn into strikes are urgently needed in order to reduce industrial strikes in India. Protecting workers’ rights while preserving industrial stability must be India’s top priority.
Ajay Srivastava, the founder of GTRI, proposed seven measures, which include intelligence to identify disruptions, legislative framework for labour compliance, union-management communication, enforcement of labour regulations, and cooperation between the central and states.
The Government needs to implement labour rules that guarantee employees have written contracts, receive severance pay, and have set hours of work. According to GTRI, this enforcement would give employees a safety net and lessen complaints, which frequently result in strikes.
It argued that building efficient mediation and arbitration mechanisms will allow issues to be handled swiftly, preventing them from ballooning into large-scale strikes. To maintain fairness, these methods might be overseen by impartial organisations. It further stated that while unions ought to be included in talks on worker welfare and wages, they shouldn’t meddle in the day-to-day operations of specific businesses.
It said that a comprehensive legal framework defining manufacturers’ responsibilities for labour compliance and worker welfare would create a more predictable business climate. “A balanced approach would prevent unions from stalling industrial progress while ensuring worker rights are protected,” the report stated.
It stated that India can create a more stable industrial climate that benefits both firms and workers by putting these recommendations into practice and reducing the frequency and impact of labour strikes.
During the 1970s and 1980s, when China and India were in competition, the dominant industry was textiles. Prolonged worker strikes, however, have transformed cities like Mumbai, Kanpur, and many others into the textile industry’s graveyards, according to Srivastava, who also said that the recommendations will help prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
He gave Chinese instances to support his claim that the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), the country’s only trade union, collaborates closely with the Government to handle worker complaints and avert mass upheaval.
