States support textile industry on labour law flexibility

New Delhi: The textile industry has strongly recommended an increase in the permissible weekly working hour limit from 48 hours to 60 hours. Currently, higher working hours are subject to case-to-case approvals from the labour commissioner concerned.

At a high-level conference convened by the Textile Minister here on Tuesday, industry representatives sought changes in the Contract Labour Act to employ contract labour for executing seasonal orders. They also reiterated their commitment to ensure employment for at least 100 days a year for contract workers in line with the provisions of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. The industry also sought permission to deploy women workers in night shifts and a 'realistic' exit policy for defunct units.

The Union Agriculture Minister, Textile Minister, Commerce and Industry Minister and the Labour Minister were present at the meeting, which saw participation from 19 state governments, eight central trade unions and 20 textile industry associations.

Most state governments supported the industry in its demands for labour law flexibility and asked the Union Government to evolve a consensus among the stakeholders on the issue.

Unions say `no'


The trade union representatives, however, turned down the plea for labour law flexibility on the grounds that the proposedincrease in working hours would adversely affect workers' health. The unions opposed the industry's demand for flexibility in hiring contractual labour, claiming that the textile and clothing industry did not qualify as a 'seasonal industry'.