Trade unions demand social security fund, halt to privatisation in pre-budget meeting with Finance Minister

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the 10th Pre-Budget Consultation with representatives of trade unions on November 20.

Create a social security fund for unorganised and agriculture workers, fill vacancies of central government departments and PSUs, stop privatisation of government companies are the key demands of central trade unions, which was presented to the finance ministry earlier on Thursday, Moneycontrol has learnt.

"Privatisation of PSUs and its latest format – National Monetisation Pipeline process should be stopped and scrapped forthwith," the CTUs wrote in a letter submitted to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in a pre-Budget meeting today.

There are 12 CTUs in India, and the signatories of the letter include the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), and the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS).

The CTUs have demanded privatization in different ways, in production and service, in railways, defence, coal mines, ports et cetera to be stopped.

They have sought a central government sponsored social security fund for the unorganised and agriculture workers, with the aim of providing them a minimum pension of Rs 9,000 per month. "All unorganised workers should be enrolled on e-shram portal and the social security scheme should be provided to all. Monetary benefits under current schemes have to be raised as they are inadequate," the CTUs wrote.

The total number of unorganised workers registered on the e-Shram portal is approximately over 313.6 million, as per official data, and around 53 percent of this number are females.

The CTUs have sought repeal of the labour codes as well. "The repeal of 29 labour codes should be restored. Minimum wages of not less than Rs 26,000 per month with indexation must be fixed."

Another trade union, the Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC), however, said that it supports the implementation of labour codes, given certain worker-related concerns must be addressed before their full rollout—particularly in the: Industrial Relations (IR) Code, where issues related to worker representation, negotiating mechanisms, and job security require clarification; and Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Code, where safety standards, enforcement mechanisms, and grievance redressal systems need strengthening.

"Resolution of these concerns will help ensure that the codes benefit both workers and employers without compromising workers’ rights," the TUCC said in its submission.

TUCC has also proposed that the Social Security Code be amended to explicitly include: ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, domestic workers, and other public-engaged volunteers and self-engaged workers, under a contributory EPFO scheme.