National Trade Union Conference on the Ratification of ILO Core Labour Standards 24-26 August 2010, New Delhi

National Conference on the Ratification of the ILO Core Labour Conventions was organized from 24-26 August 2010 at New Delhi by INTUC (Indian National Trade Union Congress) with the support of ILO/ACTRAV. The conference called upon the government of India to ratify the four core ILO conventions namely C87, C98, C138, C182. Along with INTUC other central trade unions 1AITUC (All India Trade Union Congress), BMS (Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh), CITU (Centre of Indian Trade Unions) and HMS (Hind Mazdoor Sabha) and Global Union Federations such as International Metal Workers Federation (IMF) and Public Services International (PSI) participated in the conference. The Director and Research and Communication Officer, IMFSouth Asia Regional office represented the IMF at the conference. So far the government of India has ratified 41 ILO conventions. However, It has ratified only four (C29, C105, C100, C111) of 8 core ILO fundamental human rights Conventions. Central Trade Unions participated in the conference emphasised that it is imperative for the government of India to ratify the remaining four core conventions that provide Freedom of Association and Collective bargaining (C87 and C98) to all working people and abolition of child labour C138, C182. Trade unionists participated in the conference discussed various aspects of the ILOs fundamental conventions and related issues to exert pressure and positively influence the Government of India to ratify core conventions. Mr. N.M. Adyanthaya, General Secretary, INTUC and ILO General Body member chaired the inaugural session. Dr. G Sanjeeva Reddy, President, INTUC addressing the conference stated that multinational companies in India are not respecting the principle of Freedom of association and collective bargaining. It is important that with the help of ILO we need to find a solution and iron out the apprehensions of the government of India to ratify the core conventions. This will also put pressure on countries like United States of America and China to ratify the core conventions. Mr. Noriyuki Suzuki, General Secretary, ITUC-AP has remarked that without the ratification of C87 and C98 that provide core labour standard, decent work can never be achieved. As India is the largest democracy in the world it has the responsibility to ratify the core convention, he added. Mr. Dan Cunniah, Director ACTRAV observed that the government of India should live up to its commitment for ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work in 1998 and ILO Declaration on Social justice for a fair globalization 2006. Freedom of association and collective bargaining are more relevant today than ever before, he
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Central Trade Unions are recognized by the Government of India by a method of verification of their membership.

added. Mr. P Chaturvedi, Secretary, Ministry of Labour stated that at the earliest, we would like to ratify the remaining four ILO core conventions. India would not like to be a defaulting member. The Government of India is willing to sit together with the ILO and hold tripartite discussions to find a way forward towards ratification of the remaining fundamental conventions at the earliest possible time; Ms.Ramapriya Gopalakrsihnan during her presentation on Challenges and opportunities of ratification of the ILO core conventions in India, examined the government of Indias position on the core conventions and stated that Indias failure to ratify the conventions C87 and C98 has led to increased attack on trade union rights and violation of labour laws and indicates that India is not in line with the international consensus to promote decent work. She urged that the government of India to review its apprehensions to ratify the core conventions as they can be addressed through existing mechanisms. Ms.Karen Curtis, Deputy Director, NORMES observed that various ILO conventions (C29, C100, C 105 and C111) so far ratified by the government of India immensely helped it to bring legislations that benefitted the country to move towards respecting ILOs Fundamental Principles of Rights at Work and sustainable economic development and stated that recent ratification of C 105 shows that government continues in its commitment to review the 8 Conventions under the 1998 Declaration and take concrete steps. Mr. Michael Dias, representative from the employers association said that, employers group will support ratification of ILO convention C87 and C98 by the government of India. Dr.Kamala Sankaran, teacher and labour researcher from Delhi University, said that as all other South Asian countries have ratified the conventions 87 and 98 and it is high time that the government of India which aims to be an important player in global governance to ratify the conventions. More than 90 percent Indian workforce, which is working in unorganised sector, migrant workers and workers engaged in precarious work and disguised employment will benefit from the ratification. Mr. Tapan Sen General Secretary, CITU blamed the corporates for consciously pursuing informalisation for greater return on capital while denying not only fair share of workers in profit, even the basic rights of workers. Without making it mandatory for the industry to recognise the trade union, It is not possible for workers to attempt for decent working conditions. Brother R.A Mital, National Secretary, Hind Mazdoor Sabha said that Indian trade unions have realised the need for unity and nine central trade unions have formed a united forum to address workers issues. The united forum of trade unions will exert pressure on the government of India to ratify the convention C87 and C98. All central trade union representatives from AITUC, BMS, CITU, HMS and INTUC said that the Government of India

should immediately ratify the convention and insisted that existing national labour legislations should be strictly implemented. The Honble Union Minister of Labour and Employment, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge said that India is committed to fundamental principles of rights at work and explained various Indian legislations and social welfare policy measures of the government that aimed at achieving it. He stated that India is not able to ratify C87 and C98 only because of some technicalities. However, workers in India are enjoying all the benefits provided under the core conventions through Indian labour legislations. Further the minister remarked that, India is closely examining the conventions related to child labour and will have in-depth consultation with social partners to ratify it. The conference adopted a resolution that called upon the Government of India to immediately convene a tripartite dialogue and in any case it set the time frame to ratify ILO core conventions as for Convention No. 182 by December, 2010, for Convention No. 138 by December, 2011 for Conventions Nos. 87 and 98 at the latest by June, 2012. The participating central trade union organizations resolved to establish a task force / united front to launch and monitor campaign activities for the ratification of the fundamental Conventions that India is yet to ratify. The ILO representatives expressed full-fledged commitment to provide assistance to the Government of India to identify the gaps in the law and in practice to the ratification and the application of these fundamental Conventions.