By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Labour Minister Shibhu Baby John Monday proposed a helpline for labour-related issues and promised to prevent trade unions from spoiling the investment environment in the state.
Addressing the media here, he said: “Don’t expect miracles overnight because this is a sensitive issue. The first step would be to take all the trade unions into confidence. A meeting is being held here tomorrow (Tuesday).”
“The first thing that would be tackled is the unfair practice of trade union workers collecting charges for doing no work,” said John, an engineer-turned-politician.
“The helpline would be functional very soon and anyone who faces labour-related issues can contact it and the problem would be tackled by labour department officials,” said John.
Kerala’s several attempts to turn investment friendly have failed because of the problem of labour militancy.
In 2002, the then chief minister A.K. Antony of the Congress, ahead of holding the first ever global investors’ meet, came out with a law to curb unfair practices among trade unions and to allow police intervention in labour disputes.
But in 2006, the then chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan of the Communist Party of India-Marxist diluted the law and restricted police role in labour disputes.
John said the situation will change now. “Police will be duty-bound to intervene in labour disputes where there is a law and order problem,” he said.