Mumbai, Feb 12 (IANS) As the nationwide Bharat Bandh is being held to protest what a group of unions describe as anti-worker, anti-farmer and pro-corporate policies of the Centre, a legal adviser to the Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) in Mumbai on Thursday said the government’s labour policies contain several positive provisions and are especially beneficial for millions of workers in the unorganised sector.

The Bharat Bandh, led by a coalition of 10 central trade unions and supported by farmers’ groups, students, youth bodies, Congress and other opposition parties, aims to highlight issues including the four Labour Codes, the Electricity Bill 2025, the Seed Bill 2025, and concerns over recent free trade agreements.

Speaking to IANS, Advocate Akshay Birwadkar, legal adviser to Forward Seamen’s Union of India, said the new labour laws include multiple provisions aimed at improving wages, social security and workplace rights.

“The government’s labour laws contain many positive provisions. These are particularly beneficial to the millions of workers in the country’s unorganised sector,” Birwadkar said.

He added that the government is taking everyone along with it under the motto of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Prayas”, and therefore opposing the reforms without solid grounds appears to be against the national interest.

Birwadkar said the issue had been discussed extensively over several years before being finalised.

“This issue was continuously discussed between 2019 and 2025. The Bill was introduced in Parliament in 2019, later passed, and implemented in 2025,” he said.

Highlighting key provisions, he said, “The provision that the national minimum wage should be uniform across the country, and no state should pay less than that, is an important step. Furthermore, men and women should receive equal pay for equal work, and overtime should be paid at double the rate. All these provisions have been incorporated into the new law.”

He alleged that some political parties were misleading workers for their own interests and attempting to disrupt the peaceful environment in the country.

Birwadkar further said that changing employment patterns made it necessary to update the legal framework, as a large number of people are now working in unorganised and newly emerging sectors.

“Only when there are jobs will there be workers, and only when there are workers will their rights be discussed. Today, the number of government jobs is lower than before, and a large number of people are working in unorganised or newly emerging sectors. Therefore, it was necessary to bring these new sectors under a legal framework,” he said.

He also called it a commendable step by the Central government to bring more workers under social security coverage.

“Bringing these workers under EPFO, ESI and other social security provisions is a commendable step taken by the Central government,” Birwadkar added.

–IANS

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