NOTE
SUBMITTED BY TRADE UNIONS ON VIEW POINT ON ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED FOR FRAMING
BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 2017-18
Dated
19.11.2016
The Hon’ble Minister of Finance
Government of India
North Block,
New Delhi, 110 001
Sub:
Trade unions view point on issues to be
considered for framing budget for the year 2017-18
Sir,
At
the beginning, once again, we request that instead of a ritualistic exercise,
to make the meeting meaningful, the proposals put forward by the trade unions
in the joint memorandum should find place in the budget proposals.
Instead
of going for any new issues, we reiterate the 12 point demands of the working
people submitted earlier to the government. Please recall, your good-self,
being the Chairman of the GoM, had inconclusive discussions with all the
central trade unions in August 2015 and All India General Strike on 2nd
September, 2015 could not be avoided. Unfortunately the same have not been
resumed in spite of requests made by the Central Trade Unions. Under such
compulsion trade unions had to resort to All India General Strike on 2nd
September, 2016.
We
express our deep concern over the difficulties being faced by the common people
especially the daily wage earners due to demonetization of Rs.500/- and
Rs.1000/-currency notes and urge the Govt. to take urgent steps to ameliorate their
difficulties.
Without
depending too much on foreign investment for growth and development of the
national economy, the Government should concentrate on raising internal
resources by taxing the rich who have financial capacity to pay. Budget
allocation on social sector and basic services like health, education and so on
must be sufficiently increased, let alone any reduction. The Govt must take
firm measures to contain deliberate tax-default by the big business and
corporate lobby leading to huge accumulation of unpaid direct tax due, which is
increasing every successive year.
The
issues with direct bearing on the economic policies of the Govt. and budget
exercise are put hereunder:
1.
Minimum Wage: Minimum Wage linked to
Consumer Price Index must be guaranteed to all workers, taking into
consideration the recommendations of the 15th Indian Labour Conference and
further enriched by the Apex Court by an add-on of 25%. The entire formulation
was again unanimously reiterated by 43rd Indian Labour Conference. Based on the
same, the 7th CPC has worked out the minimum wage of Rs.18000/- per month.
Therefore, the minimum wage should not be less than Rs.18000/- per month.
Need-based minimum wage is to be considered as essential part of social security.
Unfortunately ignoring the well established norms, the Govt. has proposed
minimum wage of Rs.9,100/- p.m. for workers of C-Class Cities, that too only
for the workers in the central sphere, leaving the majority rest without any
increase. The trade unions have not accepted the same.
2.
Price Rise: Take effective measures
to arrest the spiraling price rise especially of food and essential items of
daily use. Ban speculative forward trading in essential commodities, check on
hoarding and universalise and strengthen Public Distribution System.
3.
Public Sector: PSUs should be
strengthened and expanded under PSU frame work fully. Disinvestment of shares
of profit making PSUs should be stopped. Budgetary support should be provided
for revival of potentially viable sick PSUs. Unfortunately, the Govt. has
resorted to strategic selling of even profit making PSUs and outright closure
of so called sick units. The CTUs are also opposed to the proposed Transport
Safety Bill as it paves a way for privatization of state owned public transport
system
4.
Domestic
Industries: Relentless and increasing flow of import of industrial
commodities including capital goods must be contained and regulated to prevent
dumping and also to protect and promote domestic industries and prevent loss of
employment.
5.
FDI: FDI should not be allowed in
crucial sectors like Defence Production, Railways, Financial Sector, Retail
Trade and other strategic sectors. The Govt. on the other hand, has allowed
100% FDI in these sectors including Pharmaceuticals.
6.
Employment Generation: Over the past
two years, the employment generation has been the least. We reiterate massive
public investment be made in infrastructure and social sectors to generate more
employment in order to arrest mounting unemployment. All vacancies of
sanctioned posts in Govt departments, PSUs and autonomous institutions should
be filled up through fresh recruitment. Ban on creation of new posts should be
lifted; practice of surrendering / abolition of posts should be done away with.
7.
MGNREGA: The scope of MGNREGA be
extended to agriculture operations and urban areas as well and employment for
minimum period of 200 days with guaranteed statutory wage be provided, as
unanimously recommended by 43rd Session of Indian Labour Conference. The
drastic cut already inflicted on the MNREGA allocation should be made good and
enhanced.
8.(a)
SCHEME WORKERS: The massive
workforce engaged in ICDS, Mid-day meal scheme, Vidya volunteers, Guest
Teachers, Shiksha Mitra, the workers engaged in the Accredited Social Health
Activities (ASHA) and other schemes be regularized. No to privatization of
centrally funded schemes. Budget allocation should not be drastically cut as
done in last year; it should be substantially increased. Universalisation of
ICDS be done as per Supreme Court directions by making adequate budgetary
allocations. The scheme workers should at least be given status of workers with
attendant benefits as already recommended by the 45th Session of ILC till such
time they are regularized.
(b)
DOMESTIC WORKERS: Domestic work
continues to be uncertain and invisible. To create a support system for
domestic workers, a central law requires to be enacted.
9.
Unorganised Workers Social Security:
Steps be taken for removal of all restrictive provisions based on poverty line
in respect of eligibility coverage of the schemes under the Unorganised Workers
Social Security Act 2008 and allocation of adequate resources for the National
Fund for Unorganised Workers to provide for Social Security to all unorganized
workers including the contract/casual and migrant workers
The States which have not framed rules under the Street Vendors (Protection of
Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act be asked to frame such rules
and allocate funds for developing the Street Vending as livelihood models.
The cess management of construction workers in the Building and Other
Construction Workers Welfare Board be made the responsibility of Ministry of
Finance to ensure its proper collection and utilization.
10.
(a) Income Tax exemption:- ceiling
for the salaried persons and pensioners should be raised to Rs.5 lakh per
annum. All perks and fringe benefits like housing, medical and educational facilities
and running allowances in Railways should be exempted from the income tax net
in totality.
(b)
Gratuity: The ceiling of amount of
Gratuity under the Payment of Gratuity Act be raised to Rs.20 lacs w.e.f.
1.1.2016 as done in the case of Central Govt. employees.
11.(a)
Employees Provident Fund: Threshold
limit of 20 employees in EPF Scheme be brought down to 10. Govt. and Employers
contribution be increased to allow sustainability of Employees Pension Scheme
and for provision of minimum pension of Rs.3000/- p.m. Proposal for introducing
option in PF and ESI made in 2015-16 budget be dropped. Notification issued for
utilization of money in “inoperative” EPF accounts for Senior Citizen Welfare
Fund be withdrawn; decision to invest EPF fund in stock/equity market be
scrapped.
(b)
Pension: Pension to All-All workers
be paid pension and the same be construed as deferred wage.
12.
New
Pension Scheme: New Pension Scheme be withdrawn and newly recruited
employees of central and state Govts on or after 1.1.2004 be covered under Old
Pension Scheme.
13.
Labour Law Reforms: The process of
labour law reforms being pursued by the Govt. to provide for
unhindered “hire and fire” and for pushing the majority of workers
outside the purview and protection of most of the labour laws--all for ensuring
so called ease of doing business be stopped. No labour law amendment be
undertaken without the consent of trade unions and workers who are the main
stake holders and also the most affected.
14.
7th Central Pay Commission: The
Central Govt. employees demand for raising of minimum wage and consequent
revision of implementation factor which is said to be under consideration of a
Committee be resolved at the earliest.
15.
Avoid Contractual Workers: Contract/Casual
workers should not be deployed on jobs of perennial nature. Till regularization
these workers should be paid the same wages and benefits as paid to regular
workers doing the same and similar type of work as has been reiterated by
Hon’ble Supreme Court of India recently.
16.
Issues of
Railways: There being no separate Railway Budget this time, the Annual
Budget must take care of this crucial public and goods transport service in the
country to be made more effective, accessible and affordable to all people
through increased budgetary allocation for expeditious completion of pending
expansion and track renewal projects; urgent long pending demands of the
Railway employees like enhancement of ceiling in respect of running allowance
for tax-exemption, housing scheme etc should be considered. No to privatization
and 100% FDI in Railways.
To
re-emphasize our serious concern:
We
oppose the desperate anti-worker measures of changing labour laws by the
central as well as some state Govts. The Govt. should take steps for initiating
discussion and resolving the 12 point charter of demands.
We
repeat with sorrow that none of the suggestions made by us collectively in the
last pre-budget meetings have got any positive reflection in the previous
budgets. Rather drastic cut to the tune of Rs.4.40 lakh crores was made in the
allocation of funds for social sector schemes in the last budget. This drastic
cut needs to be restored and covered up.
We
would therefore request that at least this time due and proper consideration is
given to the points raised above while framing budget for 2016-17.
With
regards,
INTUC AITUC
HMS
CITU AIUTUC
TUCC SEWA
AICCTU
UTUC LPF
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