City Inc nervous over possible changes in labour laws

Ludhiana: City businessmen are nervous, because in a recent meeting of the state’s council of ministers — presided over by chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh — indications were given for changes in labour laws in the light of the impact of Covid-19.
In the meeting, though it was not decided what changes will be made in labour laws, the discussions had certainly confused businessmen, who are praying the government does not bring some strict norms, which would further impact industrial units, already crippled due to the lockdown.
Speaking to TOI, Knitwear Club finance secretary Harish Kairpal said, “Businessmen of Ludhiana are doing their best to support their workers during these turbulent times, when their savings have already been drained, and they do not know whether industry will ever be able to come back on track. But during these times, if labour laws are changed, and stricter norms come into effect, it will destroy industry completely.”
He added, “The Punjab government should look at what other states like Uttar Pradesh are doing, where labour laws have been relaxed for three years. The same kind of action is needed here in Punjab, and rather than exploring options to change labour laws, the state government should instead support industry by introducing financial incentives, which in turn can be used by us to help our workers.”
According to Inderjit Singh Navyug, former president of United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers Association (UCPMA), “We fail to understand that at this time of distress, when the business community of Punjab — specially factory owners — are the worst hit, why the government is not introducing a package for industry. Moreover, Friday’s meeting of the council of ministers has left us confused about whether the labour laws will be relaxed or made stricter.”
He added, “I think ministers should realise the ground realities, and before taking a call on changes in labour laws, they should consider the immense contribution being made by industrialists at this time by opening their units and keeping labour working, in spite of not making sales of even a single rupee.”
According to Vishwpreet Singh, a bicycle parts manufacturer from Gill Road, “It is our request to the state government to relax labour laws for at least one year. Already, there are a lot of complexities and strict implications, even for small, unintentional mistakes. So, in the wake of the Covid-19 lockdown, when we are suffering losses worth crores on a daily basis, the future of industry depends entirely on what call the Punjab government takes with regard to labour laws.”