‘Labour laws in workers’ favour’

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 21

An awareness programme on Industrial Labour Laws and ESIC Schemes was organised by the Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertaking (CICU).

Upkar Singh Ahuja, president, CICU, said 99 per cent of labour laws were in the favour of workers, whether it was right or wrong.

He said employees lodged false complaints against the entrepreneurs most of the times and harassed them. It should be stopped.

Pankaj Sharma, general secretary, CICU, said the registration of factory units, which was made compulsory for those with 20 workers, should be extended to 50 workers.

He said the registration of labourers under the Factory Act should also be simplified.

“The Labour Department should ban use of cigarette, tobacco, pan masala etc and use of mobile phone on the factory premises,” said Sharma.

Upkar Singh said there was a lack of proper medical services at the ESIC Model Hospitals and Dispensaries functioning in Punjab.

Tejinder Singh Dhaliwal, Labour Commissioner, Ludhiana, said he would take up the issues being faced by the industrialists and assured them of taking immediate steps to resolve them.

PK Narula, director, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Ludhiana, and Mona Puri, Additional Labour Commissioner, Ludhiana, said the city had more than 10 lakh labourers, but only 4.3 lakh were registered with the ESIC.