CODISSIA submits petition to Minister for Labour Welfare regarding MSME issues
Coimbatore: In a press release by CODISSIA it said they a submitted the below petition to C. V. Ganesan, Minister for Labour Welfare and Skill Development, Government of Tamil Nadu, during his visit to Coimbatore on 14th July 2021.
It said,
- At the outset, we requested to arrange for providing adequate number of vaccinations for industry members
- Under the EPF Scheme, since the Aadhaar seeding has become mandatory, the PF challans could not be generated. Due to the non-generation of challans, crores of employees were deprived of their benefits during the lockdown.
- To extend the due date for submission of EPF challans and payment of contributions by another six months.
- To take immediate cognizance regarding the operation of EPF portal without any hindrance since on many occasions, the site has not been functional and the last date for depositing provident fund contributions are increased from 15th to 30th of the month.
Strengthening the Labour Workforce in Tamil Nadu
- COVID 19 has highlighted that our State is heavily dependent on labour workforce from other states, mainly from North and North East. Industries almost comes to a standstill when other state labourers leave for their hometowns.
- An appropriate mechanism for skilling the existing potential workforce inside the state has to be urgently identified and implemented in a phased approach for self-reliance. Accordingly, existing schemes have to be revisited and new schemes have to be planned and we shall be glad to collaborate and work with the Government in this regard. An appropriate mechanism for skilling the existing potential workforce inside the state has to be urgently identified and implemented in a phased approach for self-reliance. Accordingly, existing schemes have to be revisited and new schemes have to be planned and we shall be glad to collaborate and work with the Government in this regard.
- Subsidies to be allowed for creating hostel / accommodation facilities for migrant workers in the respective industrial premises.
Skill Development Centres
- To set up Skill Development Centres to help MSMEs to absorb sufficient manpower with required skills.
- To create Memorandum of Understanding between Rural Development, District Industries Centre and the relevant Association for developing Skill Development Centre through which rural labour can be trained in the above centre which will pave the way for MSMEs to absorb them.
- To allocate 90% funds for Skill Development by the State Government.
- For training the rural employees, stipend and accommodation to be allotted for the training period.
- Employees working under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA) which guarantees for 100 days of employment in a financial year, to be made available for the labour work in the industries located in cities. The industry looks at manpower flexibility to run the operations.
Changes in Labour Laws:
- Section 9A which prohibits an employer unilaterally altering the service conditions in respect of issues mentioned in the fourth schedule should be suspended for Three years.
- Section 33 which restricts the employer to change the service conditions during the pendency of the conciliation proceedings before the conciliation office should be suspended for Three years
- The entire chapter VB which bars layoff retrenchment and closure in respect of industry having 100 workmen on an average during the preceding 12 months should be suspended for Three Years.
Changes to be considered in the following Acts:
Factories Act:
- The working hours should be increased from 9 hours per day to 12 hours and 54 hours per week to 72 hours without overtime payment to the workers
- Inspection of Factories by DISH for Industries with less than 100 employees shall be done only with the permission of the Labour commissioner. Inspection once in 2 years for industries having more than 100 employees.
Minimum Wages Act:
- Government not issued fresh revised minimum wages notification in respect of already existing industries in the schedule for Two years. Similarly, please do not include new industries to the schedule for Two years.
Payment of Wages Act:
- In the present context, there is a scope for delayed payment of wages. Under Section 15 of the Act, the Authority can levy ten times fine on the delayed wages. Therefore, Section 15 should be suspended for one year.
Contract Labour & Regulations Act:
- The mandate to register contract labour by the principal employer and the contract labour to obtain license when he has 20 or more contract workmen should be increased to above 100. It is well known that the authorities under the above act are too stiff in granting registration and license on the ground that contract labour cannot be used in production related work. In general, the Labour Laws need to be simplified and relaxed for MSMEs.