Workers protest India’s new labour codes

NEW DELHI

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THOUSANDS of trade union workers across India protested yesterday against the government’ roll-out of new labour codes, saying they would lead to corporate exploitation and erode their hard-won rights.

The world’s fifth-largest economy last week implemented long-awaited labour laws that will replace colonial-era legislation and simplify a maze of confusing regulation.

The overhaul consolidates 29 existing labour laws into four key codes, with the number of rules being cut from more than 1 400 to about 350 but unions say the reforms will hurt workers’ rights.

Gautam Mody from the New Trade Union Initiative said workers from across all sectors were protesting Wednesday outside factories and in many city centres.

“Workers have been blindsided by the government,” he said.