Bengaluru: The Pandemic is being used by governments across the world to push their reform agendas with due disregard to the processes of consultation. The Pandemic has thrown up multiple challenges to employment and income and in a bid to bolster employment, albeit short term employment, the State government has made changes to the Karnataka Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Rules 1961 to introduce “Fixed-term workmen” in the model standing orders.
Employment under the “fixed-term workmen” category allows flexibility to the industry to hire and fire easily and is considered to be more flexible than the contract system. Though labourers hired under the system are eligible for all statutory relief, their services can be terminated with ease at the end of the term. The department notified the changes to the 1961 rules on June 30.
Trade unions, already fighting against the dilution of labour laws, are expected to take the matter to court. A trade union leader said that the changes to the rules were very regressive to labour and there would be no security. “Wages will also be depressed,” he added.