Congress ka haath, Garib ke saath.’’ The new Congress slogan will be put to test within weeks of being launched over its stand on the implementation of the second National Labour Commission report.The recommendations are to be discussed in Parliament on April 22 and Congress members are divided on whether to support the report or oppose it. Party president Sonia Gandhi and senior leaders have been studying the report to fine-tune the party’s stand on the issue.Former Labour Minister of Andhra Pradesh and chief of the Indian National Trade Union Congress G. Sanjeeva Reddy was on the Commission. Unlike some of his colleagues in Parliament, he does not find the recommendations objectionable. ‘‘I had not dissented on any of the recommendations of the Commission because I find most of them in favour of workers. Those who are opposing the recommendations are probably not fully aware of their importance,’’ he said.‘‘I have briefed senior leaders of the AICC on the significance of the recommendations in empowering the labour class, which will play a crucial role in making this nation stronger in the international market,’’ he added. There are three core issues on which the Congress seems to be divided.One on retrenchment recommends that ‘‘instead of 15 days salary as at present, 60 days salary to be paid for each year of service as retrenchment compensation’’. Congress MPs find the compensation inadequate, whereas Reddy says, ‘‘We support this recommendation with the modification that 45 days salary should be paid for non-serving years in a profit-making unit that gets closed.’’Two, the Commission recommends that workers’ written authorisation should be given for determining the majority enjoyed by a trade union and the ‘‘check-off’’ system for collecting funds should be implemented. Reddy says: ‘‘Many feel this will weaken the trade unions. But we feel, it will help getting the genuine unions to represent the workers.’’Third, the Commission recommends the setting up of a Industrial Relations Commission to hear the cases of workers, which will comprise representatives from the management, workers and the state judiciary.This recommendation faced flak even when it was mentioned in the report of the first Labour Commission. Reddy says: ‘‘The interests of the workers and speedy disposal of their grievances should be kept in mind. There should be no fear that the unions’ powers will be diluted.’’
