Xavier School of Management(XLRI) in collaboration with International Labour Organization - Bureau for Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV) organized the seminar on “Labour Law and Governance Reforms and Labour Rights in India in the Era of Globalization” on 29thSeptember, 2014.
The seminar was inaugurated by Fr. E Abraham, Director of XLRI, and Dr Pranabesh Ray, Dean (Academics) at XLRI and Prof. K. R. Shyam Sundar, Professor, HRM Area, XLRI along with the other guests.
At the event, both the Director and Dean addressed the topic of labour law reforms and its relevance pertinence in the current context, while Prof. K. R. Shyam Sundar, used data and statistics to question the relevance and legitimacy of the labour law and governance reforms.
Some of the eminent guests at the seminar were Mr. Raghwan, Asia Pacific Desk Officer, ILO ACTRAV, Bureau for Workers’ Activities, Geneva; Professor Dev Nathan, the Institute for Human Development, New Delhi; Dr. Pravin Sinha, Indian Industrial Relations Associations; Professor Praveen Kumar Jha from Centre for Informal Sector & Labour, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; Trade Union representatives, Mr. Chandrashekhar Prakash Singh and Mr. Shyam Sundar Sharma; Ms. Ramapriya Gopalkrishnan advocate from Madras and an ILO Consultant Madras High Court, Ms. Christine Nathan, a former ILO ACTRAV official and currently an ILO Consultant.
The seminar witnessed Trade Union Representatives, Representatives from ILO, Academicians and students debate and discuss upon diverse perspectives related to labour issues and rights. The seminar marked a first of its kind association between two very well established bodies, namely XLRI and ILO and also brought together Central trade union leaders from the INTUC (Indian National Trade Union Congress), BMS (Bhartaya Majdoor Sangh), CITU, HMS and AITUC to the same platform.
The Trade union representatives across party affiliations threw light upon the dismal state of labour in the largest democracy of the world. “The working people throughout the country are going to face a severe onslaught on their rights and livelihood in the days to come from the corporate-servile polity in power at the Centre. Already, such a move is reported to be afoot in respect of a number of labour laws,” they commented.
Apart from Prof Praveen Jha, Rampriya Gopalakrishnan, other speakers too went on to speak about how labour can no longer be treated as a mere commodity but as an equal stakeholder in organizations and criticised the ongoing labour law and governance reforms in India.
Prof. K. R. Shyam Sundar, Professor, HRM Area, XLRI and the convener commented on the event, “The issue of labour rights in the era of globalization has become a huge area of concern in the current context. The 1st-ever seminar on labour law reforms and labour rights by XLRI is a timely event as some state governments and the central government have either passed or proposed a few critical labour law reform measures which will have significant implications for both employers and the workers. The seminar will bring out diverse perspectives on not only the topical theme of labour law reforms but the basic issues concerning labour rights”.
XLRI is one of the top rated private management institute in India founded in 1949 by Fr Quinn Enright, S.J. in the ‘steel city’ of Jamshedpur. Over the last six decades, it has grown into a top-ranking business school with a wide portfolio of educational programs. Its alumni are spread around the globe and have demonstrated responsible business leadership in their organizations. XLRI strives to contribute its mite to the professional growth and management of innumerable organizations that serve the public good in a variety of sectors.
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