Gurugram,
The State Executive Committee meeting of INTUC Haryana was held in Gurugram. The meeting was attended by AICC Haryana In-charge Sanjay Dutt, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee President Rao Narendra Singh, INTUC Haryana President Amit Yadav, Co-Chairperson, Social Media & Digital Platform Puneet Yadav, along with INTUC office-bearers, representatives of various trade unions and labour leaders.
The meeting held detailed discussions on workers’ dignity, employment security, social security, safe working conditions, and the democratic and collective bargaining rights of trade unions. Concerns were also expressed regarding the provisions of the four new labour laws and their potential impact on workers and trade unions.
Haryana Congress In-charge Sanjay Dutt highlighted several key demands concerning trade union rights, including safeguarding the right to form, register and function independently as a trade union; strengthening collective bargaining; reviewing unnecessary restrictions on the right to strike; reducing the threshold for standing orders from 300 to 100 workers; and ensuring effective consultation with trade unions before making any changes to labour laws.
Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee President Rao Narendra Singh highlighted key demands concerning workers’ rights, including ensuring fair minimum wages and timely payment of wages to every worker; providing contract workers with full benefits of Provident Fund, Employees’ State Insurance, bonus and other social security measures; making safety committees and occupational health and safety mechanisms effective at every workplace; protecting workers against arbitrary retrenchment and employment insecurity; and making appointment letters and salary slips mandatory for every worker.
Amit Yadav and the INTUC team prominently raised demands related to the interests of trade unions and workers. These included ensuring that no worker is discriminated against or harassed for becoming a union member; ending the practice of contractual and fixed-term employment; and ensuring the effective functioning of grievance redressal committees at every eligible establishment.
During the meeting, the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee also organized a training programme on strengthening social media and on the new labour laws. The training covered the provisions of the new labour laws, their impact on the rights of trade unions and workers, and the challenges related to workers’ rights. The training was conducted by Puneet Yadav, Co-Chairperson, Social Media & Digital Platform, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee.
The meeting also emphasized that union representatives should have the right to meaningful dialogue and collective bargaining with management. It was further stressed that “Mazdoor Adhikar Pathshala” (Workers’ Rights Schools) should be established in every industrial area to educate workers about their legal rights.
The meeting resolved to further strengthen INTUC’s organizational structure to take the voice of workers to every factory, every industrial area and every worker. Reaching workers’ rights advocacy to “every factory, every gate and every court”, along with creating awareness among workers through gate-level Mazdoor Adhikar Pathshalas, was identified as a key objective.
Sanjay Dutt and Rao Narendra Singh emphasized the need to strengthen the organization at the grassroots level and to effectively raise issues concerning workers and the general public. The central message of the meeting was that respect for workers, protection of their rights and a strong trade union system are essential for equitable and inclusive development.
Senior Congress leader Raj Babbar said that workers play a vital role in the industrial and economic development of the country. He said that dignified employment, social security and safe working conditions are the rights of workers. He emphasized that trade unions are an important means of strengthening the collective voice of workers and that sustained and united efforts are necessary to protect workers’ rights. He appreciated INTUC’s efforts to strongly raise issues concerning the interests and rights of workers.
During the meeting, discussions were also held on strengthening organizational work related to the Social Media & Digital Platform and Connect Centre of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee.
On the occasion, Deepak Lamba, In-charge, Connect Centre, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, emphasized the need to strengthen organizational communication, make effective use of digital platforms, and ensure that issues concerning workers and the general public are effectively taken to a wider audience.
