This tripartism is being promoted by the ILO in cooperation with the Labour Ministry and national organisations of the employers and the trade unions. The move has assumed importance, according to knowledgeable circles, because the long-established tripartites such as the Indian Labour Conference (ILC) and the Industrial Tripartites have been rendered ineffective under the impact of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation (LPG). This situation has benefited the corporates and harmed the interests of the unorganised labour and small and medium industries in the country.

The immediate objective before this novel tripartite was to work out effective “Social Response to the Economic Slow Down in India”. The ILO's Regional Office constituted the tripartite comprising representatives of all central trade union organisations, central employers organisations (CEOs) and the Labour Ministry. The Tripartite in turn set up a Tripartite Expert Group to coordinate the work of various Rapid Assessment Courses and Case Studies and suggested the need to select special sectors of industry which were worst hit by the slowdown, financial crisis and unemployment.

It is gathered that the first meeting of the Tripartite Expert Group (TEG), held on March 13, 2009, decided that the construction industry, the textile industry and the Jewelleries sector should be focussed for in-depth study. It appears that the TEG had to take special care to ensure that then impending Parliamentary elections did not impede or overshadow its work.

The Report and recommendations of the Tripartite were submitted to the Labour Ministry on June 30, 2009. The Report has suggested that the Labour Ministry convene a Multi-stakeholder Inter-Ministerial meeting in order to set priorities for implementation of various measures outlined by the TEG recommendations.

Some recommendations of the TEG touch the very heart of the problems facing the country's SMEs and the unorganised labour. For instance, on implementation of labour laws, the TEG has recommended:

“Expedite operationalisation of the “Unorganised Workers Social Security Act, 2008”, Define an appropriate organisational structure at the local, regional and national levels and institute tripartite advisory board (social security boards) at the state and national levels. Envisage universal coverage for social security for all as a long-term vision, removing the conditionality of 'Below Poverty Line' to prevent exclusion of 95 per cent of the unorganised and informal sector workers from the benefits of various schemes under the Act.”

How true is this recommendation if seen in the light of the reports in the press that “The Centre is asking the States to put a ceiling on the number of Below Poverty Line (BPL) beneficiaries under the Targeted Public Distribution System (PDS) for the purpose of the National Food Security Bill that is in the making.” (The Hindu 21.8.09).

Another TEG recommendation is “The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act to be strictly implemented to ensure that contract workers get the same wages, benefits and social security as regular workers in the concerned industries and are less vulnerable to retrenchment.”

Incidentally, this recommendation should strengthen the campaign of the central trade union organisations for organising the contract and casual workers in both public and private sectors so that they are not denied the rights and privileges being given to the regular workers in the concerned industry.

The TEG recommendations have specially focussed on the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). For instance, it says that the present situation of higher rate of interest on MSMEs, compared to large industries should be “reversed through a mandatory proactive role by financial institutions and be regularly monitored”. It further says: “Incentivise MSMEs' coverage by labour laws, irrespective of their work force size. To start with, extend enterprise coverage from 20 to 10 workers and ensure that implementation of labour laws is practicable and simplified.

The TEG Report devotes special attention to the problems facing migrant workers. It wants migrant workers issues to be addressed “at sources and destination”, and adds, “explore a targeted attempt to register and enroll returning migrants into rural employment schemes (like NREGA) and intensify outreach and benefits.” Another suggestion is that the scope and focus on the implementation of PDS and other social schemes should increase; also “remove conditionality of coverage of BPL to reach out to all affected workers, especially migrant workers.

Yet another significant TEG recommendation is : “Recognise the massive workforce engaged in ICDS, Mid-day Meal Scheme, Accredited Social Health Activists(ASHA), 'Vidya Volunteer', 'Guest Teachers', 'Siksha Mitras', etc and bring them under the coverage of statutory minimum wage and social security.”

The TEG has specially impressed on the Social Partners to discharge their role effectively. “Trade unions should play a prominent role in the registration, empowerment and outreach to the informal workers and ensure that they receive their social security and other benefits.” On the other hand, “Employers organisations and trade unions need to re-define their engagement in the industry. Registration, enrolment, skills upgradation/training/retraining should be a joint effort to support the overall employment situation in the construction industry.”

Referring to “Immediate/Short-Term Measures, TEG has emphasised that “All stimulus packages need to focus on employment situation and creation. Employment creation by itself will be a stimulus for growth, as purchasing power will increase and, therefore, local demand can be created, provided remuneration is adequate and monitored.

In line with the ILC, held in February 2009, which proposed short-term response to mitigate the negative social impact of the ongoing slowdown, the TEG recommended that short-term responses need to be implemented as soon as possible, within a maximum of six months, to provide immediate relief to the most affected.

The TEG, which includes besides ILO representatives, Harbhajan Singh, Deputy Director General, Labour Ministry, Michael Dias, representing the employers, Deputy General Secretary of AITUC, H. Mahadevan and K. P. Kannan, consultant, is to meet again this month to monitor implementation.

One can only hope that the ILO-sponsored Tripartite will succeed in achieving this onerous task where the established national tripartites have proved miserably ineffective. (IPA Service)