DUTA Press Release, 22 May 2020

The DUTA stands in complete solidarity with the nationwide strike called by trade union bodies on 22.05.2020 in protest against the subversion of the existing labour laws. In the guise of “labour law reforms” the central government is setting in place draconian rules that will pave the way for  exploitation of workers. Likewise, the DUTA has been strongly opposing the aggressive commercialisation and privatisation of the education sector in the garb of the NEP.

At a time when the country is reeling under acute health crisis, this subversion of labour laws will only add to the miseries of the working class sections. Many recommendations like increasing of working hours and reduction of social security benefits are harbingers of doom and destruction for the working class sections. This is the time for providing more economic and social security to our workers rather than taking away their rights. With so many deaths of poor labourers throughout the country because of the mismanaged lockdown implementation, the country is undergoing a major crisis.

On the NEP front, inspite of severe countrywide protests, we hear that the central government will be rolling it out very soon. This will be disastrous for the education sector of the entire country. In the case of Delhi University, for example, permanent placements and promotions of teachers have not taken place for close to a decade now. With the handing over of all education institutions to separate Boards of Governors (BOGs), as stipulated in the NEP, one can very well imagine the danger lying ahead. It will undermine public accountability and stakes, promote unilateral decision-making, and lead to massive commercialisation and privatisation of educational institutions. In such a scenario, the representative voices of students and teachers will cease to matter for decision-makers.

The DUTA demands that the Central Government stop subversion of labour laws and implementation of the NEP citing the pandemic Covid-19. It must also issue instructions to State governments not to affect any changes to the labour laws. Existing labour laws have been earned through massive struggles over the centuries. Any tinkering with them  will have disastrous consequences for the entire country.