Goa United Workmen Union Raises Alarm Over New Labour Codes on International Labour Day
Goa United Workmen Union Raises Alarm Over New Labour Codes on International Labour Day
Date: May 1, 2025
By: News Baba TV Goa
Cansaulim, Goa: As workers across the world celebrate International Labour Day, the Goa United Workmen Union (GUWU) has issued a strong statement condemning the four newly introduced labour codes passed by the Indian Parliament during the COVID-19 pandemic. Registered under the Trade Union Act, 1926 (Reg. No. 532/19), GUWU has called these codes “draconian” and warned of their far-reaching negative consequences on the working class.
Addressing the media from the union’s headquarters at Baga, Cansaulim, GUWU President Olencio Simoes and General Secretary Arun Galve extended greetings to all formal and informal workers of Goa but marked the day as a “black day” due to the implementation of these codes.
“Today, while we salute the dedication of all workers, we must also protest the injustice of these new codes that threaten to undo decades of labour rights,” said Olencio Simoes.
The four codes in question are:
- Code on Wages, 2019
- Industrial Relations Code, 2020
- Code on Social Security, 2020
- Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020
According to GUWU, these codes dilute 29 existing labour laws, some of which have been in place since British colonial times. They claim the codes allow employers to hire and fire at will, reduce wages, increase working hours without overtime compensation, and undermine women’s safety in the workplace.
“The new codes strip away safety nets like the Employee Compensation Act of 1923 and the Payment of Wages Act, 1936. They will allow exploitation of women, encourage child labour, and remove job security,” said Arun Galve.
GUWU emphasized that the new codes violate core international labour standards ratified by India under the International Labour Organization (ILO). These include:
- Convention 1 on working hours
- Convention 81 on labour inspection
- Convention 144 on tripartite consultation
The union highlighted the discrepancy in minimum wages, pointing out that Goa currently has a minimum wage of ₹405 for unskilled workers, while states like Nagaland have ₹203. A uniform wage under the new code could lower Goa’s wages, impacting thousands of workers.
“This move is not about ease of doing business; it’s about ease of exploiting labour,” added Galve.
GUWU called upon the Goa Labour and Employment Minister to reject the implementation of these labour codes in Goa and protect the rights of the state’s workforce.
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