By Matters India Reporter

New Delhi, Jan 14, 2020: The Workers India Federation (WIF) ended its ninth annual general body meeting in Delhi on January 14 expressing its concern over the promulgation of the new labor rights by the federal government.

The January 12-14 meeting, which was held at the CBCI Centre, deliberated on the ‘Future of Work’.

WIF is the official organ of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) Office for Labour.

“The assembly unanimously expressed its anxiety, agony and protest on the following: derailing the long-established labor rights of workers by promulgating four labor codes on wages, industrial relations, social security and occupational safety, health and working conditions,” said Father Eugene Pereira, newly appointed secretary of CBCI Office for Labour and director of WIF.

The government says the labor rights would ease doing business and safeguard the interest of workers.

“The labor codes will reduce the workers to mere wage workers. The right of workers to work eight hours, to assemble as workers and for collective bargaining is eliminated. The rights of workers for social security and other benefits are curtailed,” Father Pereira said.

The government should review its position on the labor rights of workers, he demanded.

More than 60 people from nine regions and five labor movements attended the meeting.

The WIF general body meeting also discussed on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

It said the religion-based CAA goes against secularism and democratic values and demanded its withdrawn. The National Registration of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Registration (NPR) should be suspended, WIF said.

The Constituent Assembly that drafted the Indian Constitution “had provided for the participation of marginalized communities and minorities in the parliament through reservation of members in the parliament and the state legislatures,” WIF stated.

“Withdrawing the participation of the Anglo Indian Community on the flimsy ground of fewer people is incorrect. Hence the decision made on the ground of wrong data may be withdrawn and participation of a small minority community who are socially and educationally backward may be ensured,” said Joy Gothurath, WIF president.

WIF is a registered national organization for the empowerment of the unorganized workers of the country.

The five national movements and 14 regional labor movements promoted by the Catholic Church are affiliated to WIF to form the national network of these movements for the workers. The national movements are the National Domestic Workers Movement (NDWM), Christian Workers Movement (CWM), Young Christian Workers Movement (YCWM), Pastoral Care of Nomads in India (PACNI) and the Apostleship of Sea (AOS).

There are 78 workers’ facilitation centers promoted by WIF in different parts of the country.