The Centre of Indian Trade Unions is extremely grieved at the sudden demise of Comrade Mithilesh Singh, President of Jharkhand State Committee of CITU and a former General Council member, today on 11^th July 2025 after prolonged ailment at the age of 70 years.

Right from his early youth Comrade Mithilesh Singh had been active in organizing the working class in coal and other section of unorganized workers particularly in the North Chhotanagpur area from undivided Bihar days. He had been a frontline leader of the coal workers in both BCCL and CCL and led many militant struggles of the coal workers against privatization and also on workers’ legitimate demands. Despite his ill health he always remained active in trade union movement and used to play crucial role in strengthening CITU and unity of the working class in the field of struggle.

At his death, the working class movement, in Jharkahnd in particular, lost a senior experienced and popular leader, creating a void difficult to cover up.

CITU conveys its heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family members and comrades and pays its homage of respect to the great contribution of departed comrade to the cause of the toiling people.

RED SALUTE TO COMRADE MITHILESH SINGH……

Tapan Sen
General Secretary

More than 25 crores participate in the Strike action/Rasta Roko/Rail Roko all over the country in the formal and informal sectors, in Government, Public sector enterprises, and industrial areas. There were very large mobilisations in rural India and also at block-sub-division levels by informal sector workers, agricultural labour and farmers and other sections of common people. Participation of students and youth was quite visible in many states. The ranks and file of Samyukt Kisan Morcha and joint front of Agricultural Labour Unions played significant role in the mobilisation in rural India 

The workers and their unions in Coal, NMDC Ltd, other non-coal minerals such as iron-ore, Copper, Bauxite, Aluminium, Gold mines etc, Steel, Banks, LIC, GIC, Petroleum, Electricity, Postal, Grameen Dak Sevaks, Telecom, Atomic Energy, Cement, Port & Dock, plantations, Jute Mills Public transport, transport of various type in private sector, state government employees in various sectors/states and central govt employees in major areas like postal, income-tax, audit and others went on strike. The workers/employees in most of the Industrial areas in the country including in many MNCs joined the strike in a big way and organised processions. The defence sector employees held protest demonstrations for one hour in support of strike and joined office only after that as per their decision. The railway unions mobilised and participated in solidarity actions in. The unions in Construction, Beedi, Anganwadi, ASHA, Mid-Day Meal, and other Scheme workers, Fisheries, Domestic workers, Hawkers and vendors, Head-load workers,Home based piece rate workers and Rickshaw, Auto, Taxi were among those who participated in strike and joined Rasta Roko, Rail Roko at several places. The students, youth, women and social activists also participated in processions and dharna actions in many places. The common people supported these actions. The markets were closed at many places in response to Strike/Bandh call

There was Bandh like situation in many areas of the country like in the states of Puducherry, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand Tamilnadu, Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka, Goa, Meghalaya, Manipur etc. Reports of Partial bandhs were also received in many segments of Rajasthan, Haryana, Telangana,Andhra Pradesh etc. There was industrial and sectoral strike held in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand & Gujarat (the news from other states are still awaited).

Workers joined the strike action en masse throughout the country bravely confronting numerous intimidating and repressive actions and threats by the administrations, both of the Centre and many states and also the employers.

The strikers expressed their anguish against the anti-national policies of the Government to favour Indian and Foreign corporates and the international finance capital as against Public Sector Undertakings, Public services as well as against the small trade and businesses.The government through its policy of National Monetisation Pipeline(NMP)has put on sale the infrastructure, the natural resources and national assets which will jeopardize the self-reliant development of the country, posing threat to its Sovereignty. High time to oppose and fight these anti national policies, the agitators opined.

The people expressed themselves against the rising inequalities in the face of unprecedented price rise of essential commodities, rising unemployment and underemployment leading to desperation, increased suicides of casual labour and the unemployed youth. 

The government has not been conducting Indian labour conference for last 10 years, violating international labour standards and continues taking decisions in contravention to the interest of labour force including attempts to impose four labour codes to favour employers in the name of 'Ease of doing Business'. 

The trade unions consider these labour codes as negation of the labour rights won over after struggle of 150 years from British Raj onwards. These codes negate our right to strike, make union registration problematic,  de-recognition of unions easy, the process of conciliation and adjudication cumbersome, winding up labour courts and  introducing tribunal for workers, overriding power to registrars to de-register unions, definition of wage being changed and the schedule of occupations for minimum wages applicability being abolished, Occupational Safety and Healthand Working Conditions code designed to put the right of safety of every worker and also rights and entitlements of workers in workplace in total jeopardy, the inspections exclusive putting the right of safety of every worker made in jeopardy, the inspections have been done away with and facilitators to facilitate employers is being brought, change in industrial code and its rule for increasing applicability-threshold from 100 to 300 would push out 70percent of industries out of the coverage of labour laws, the changes in factory act also would throw out substantial number of workforce from its coverage, giving the employers class wide discretionary powers to repress and exploit.

There is no labour protection, fixed term employment is fully devoid of labour law protection, unlimited apprenticeship and no compulsion of absorption is another way of exploitation, violation by employers being decriminalised whereas criminalization of  trade union leader on the cards, the limit of contractor licence proposed to increase from 20 to 50, outsourcing and contractorization being made normal, recruitment of sanctioned posts not being done rather there is ban on new posts creation leading to rising unemployment, trend of appointments of retirees instead of regular employment to unemployed youth etc.

The unions are asking for immediate recruitments in the sanctioned posts lying vacant in all Govt departments and PSUs, creation of more jobs in industries and services, increase in days and remuneration of MGNREGA workers and enactment of similar legislation for Urban areas. But the government is busy imposing ELI scheme to incentivise employers instead, in order to subsidise their labour cost and informalize the workforce. In Government departments and in public sector, instead of providing regular appointments for youth, the policy to recruit the retirees on the one hand and appointing fixed–term/apprentices/trainees/interns in the core jobs on the other, is being brought as witnessed in Railways, NMDC Ltd, Steel sector, teaching cadres etc. This is damaging to the growth of the country where 65 percent population is below the age of 35 years and the numbers of unemployed is maximum in the age group of 20 to 25yrs. The government is making fraudulent claims on employment and provisions of social security. The existing social security schemes are being weakened and the attempts being made to bring private players into it. 

The attack on the democratic rights as enshrined in Indian Constitution continues more vigorously by this ruling regime and now the attempt to de-franchise the migrant workers is being designed beginning with Bihar as immediate case. The misuse of constitutional bodies is rampant to suppress voices of opposition, the enactments in some states to control and criminalise mass movements is on the cards; the Public Security Bill in Maharashtra and similar enactments in the state of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh etc are the pointers. Now the attempts to snatch the citizenship is on the cards.

This is the beginning of the prolonged battle in the days to follow in the sectoral levels focussed on determined united resistance, again to culminate into a bigger national level heightened united action.

The unions in Delhi after taking out procession in industrial areas effecting strike held a public rally at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi which was addressed by National leaders of 10 Central Trade Unions Ashok Singh-INTUC, Amarjeet Kaur-AITUC, Harbhajan Singh-HMS, Tapan Sen-CITU, Rajiv Dimri-AICCTU, Lata Ben-SEWA, Chaurasia-AIUTUC, Jawahar-LPF, Dharmendra Verma-TUCC and R S Dagar-UTUC. The union leaders from ICEU and MEC, and leaders of AIKS and Agri-agriculture workers also addressed.  

The platform of Central Trade Unions and Independent Sectoral Federations and 

        INTUC                     AITUC                    HMS                     CITU                      AIUTUC

          TUCC                SEWA                     AICCTU                    LPF                   UTUC

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) denounces the re-launching of SPREE Scheme, introduction of Amnesty Scheme 2025 and reduction of damages payable by the employer as schemes decriminalising the offences under Employees State Insurance Act 1948 and curbing the legitimate rights of employees to be insured under the ESI Scheme.

The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), at its 196th meeting in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, deliberately announced these decisions and schemes focused “on promoting ease of doing business,” though the ESI Act was promulgated in 1948 for the “creation and development of a fool‑proof multi‑dimensional Social Security system.” This blatant shift in the Central Government’s approach is evident in its attempt to tamper with the Parliament‑enacted ESI Act and its statutory provisions. These schemes are being framed surreptitiously while the Social Security Code, 2020—containing similar clauses for compounding employers’ offences—remains unimplemented. CITU therefore urges ESIC to rescind the announced schemes and enforce statutory compliance by employers through strict penal actions for non‑compliance, as prescribed in the Act.

Although these schemes are loudly announced in the guise of expanding coverage, the pressing issue of extending coverage beyond the current eligibility wage limit of ₹21,000—repeatedly raised by CITU and other Central Trade Unions—has still not been resolved by the Government. This delay excludes a huge number of workers every day, even in PSUs, from the ambit of ESIC.

The Press Statement released by PIB on 27 June 2025 announced the re‑launch of the Scheme to Promote Registration of Employers/Employees (SPREE), a scheme that effectively absolves employers’ offences of non‑compliance with the ESI Act. In the name of promoting voluntary compliance, it does away with penalisation and eases the litigation burden—squarely to the benefit of employers. The scheme allows unregistered employers to register voluntarily from a date declared by them, without any liability to pay the dues accruing from the commencement of the establishment, as required by the ESI Act. The Government must disclose the amount of contribution, interest, and penalties forgone by ESIC under the first phase of the same scheme in 2016.

Under this re‑launched SPREE, the Government offers a “one‑time opportunity for unregistered employers and left‑out workers—including contractual and temporary staff.” CITU asserts that inclusion in the ESI Scheme should neither be a “one‑time opportunity” for left‑out workers nor a special offer for “contractual and temporary staff.” The Act does not tie eligibility to the permanency of employment; it is the duty of employers and the Government to ensure workers’ rights. Immediate action is therefore necessary to bring all eligible establishments and workers under the ESI Scheme instead of relying on “voluntary compliance.”

Along with SPREE, ESIC has approved the Amnesty Scheme – 2025, a one‑time dispute‑resolution window from 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2026—again a decriminalisation package for employers. Regional Directors are now empowered to withdraw cases without damages or interest for non‑compliance, thereby placing executive discretion above the legislative framework and reducing the scope for challenging defaulters.

The maximum rate of damages has been cut from 25 % per annum to 1 % per month on the amount payable by the employer. This effectively halves the maximum charge and is clearly designed to benefit wilfully defaulting employers. The ESI Act allows these dues to be recovered as arrears under the Land Revenue Act, yet these new schemes—mirroring the Union Government’s “Vivaad se Vishwas” and “Samasya se Samadhan” initiatives for corporate tax dues—let ESI violators go scot‑free, undermining workers’ interests.

The Corporation has also approved a pilot project to partner with “charitable hospitals,” which CITU fears will transfer ESIC funds to private hospital groups and derail efforts to build ESIC’s own dispensaries and hospitals in underserved areas, effectively outsourcing the Corporation’s statutory duty.

In short, the schemes announced at this meeting have a single purpose: to decriminalise and bail out employer groups that are wilful defaulters and responsible for the suffering—and even deaths—of millions of eligible employees. CITU demands strong legal action and full enforcement of workers’ rights, not lofty government offers.

Ease of doing business for employers is wholly incompatible with—and indeed contravenes—the basic objectives of the ESI Scheme. Accordingly, “SPREE” and the other schemes promoted by the Labour Ministry are deceptive ploys to foster non‑compliance with statutory obligations. They represent an unscrupulous attempt to push through provisions of the Social Security Code and the four Labour Codes. The working class must resist these nefarious plans by ensuring the massive success of the 9 July 2025 General Strike.

Issued by,

TAPAN SEN
General Secretary

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) denounces the direction of the Railway Board to continue re-engagement of the railway retired staff on contract basis as volunteers against the non-gazetted vacant posts in Pay level -1 to Pay level-9 and urges for the immediate recruitment against the vacancies.

The Railway Board letter dated 20^th June 2025 in continuance of its letters dated 15^th October 2024 and 31^st December 2024 has said that re-engagement of retired staff against the non-gazetted vacant posts in Pay level-1 to Pay level-9 may be filled by calling the volunteers who retired from posts in the same cadre / category up-to three level higher than the post against which  re-engagement is considered with a rider to give preference to the staff retired from the same pay level if found suitable.

This action of the Board instead of filling the total 2.5 to 3 lakh vacancies in Railways is a cruelty against the huge unemployed youth awaiting recruitment. The Modi Govt at the centre which promised 2 crores jobs per year a decade back before coming to power is pursuing this policy of furthering the precarious natured jobs which is worse than contract labour that too as volunteers by re-engaging the retired staff.

Besides, entire game plan of the Govt and the Railway ministry is to destructively restructure the composition of railway workforce to infuse barbarous precariousness, temporariness and rightlessness through such re-engagement of retired employees. It leads to massive contractualization and outsourcing of regular jobs including operational and safety-sensitive jobs. Thereby conspiring to severely curtail and curb the rights of the workers to collectively assert, bargain and act. The Railway unions must resist this and can only ignore such conspiratorial moves of the Railway management and the BJP led Govt only at their peril.

Further there are more than 6 lakh contract labour engaged by the railways with around 12 lakh regular employees in the Railways. Further while this sort of nefarious action is been pursued, the thousands of vacant sanctioned posts are also surrendered. These actions have led to severe staff shortage and huge work load on the existing employees. Staff shortage is also one of the reasons for the increasing train accidents during this period. Through this sort of decision, the Modi led Union Govt is playing with the lives of the passengers’ dependant on the railways for their commuting. The state of affairs has gone worse from bad as there are vacancies in lakhs with the biggest employer – Indian railways remaining unfilled, is facing acute shortage of staff and the crores of youth are in search of jobs in the nation.

CITU urges the Railway Board to immediately rescind the decision of re-engaging the retired staff and initiate recruitment process for the vacant posts to solve the problem of staff shortage without surrendering the sanctioned posts.

Issued by,

(TAPAN SEN)
General Secretary

Centre of Indian Trade Unions expresses grave concern over the railway accident that occurred in Thane district of Maharashtra on 9th June 2025. The accident took place between the Mumbra and Diwa railway stations, when commuters were travelling on the two local trains moving in opposite directions brushed against each other in which four passengers died and nine were injured.

CITU conveys its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families who lost their dear ones in the accident and wishes speedy recovery of those injured. CITU demands legitimate compensation for all the victims, both dead and injured.

It is a deep concern that this avoidable accident is the direct result of criminal neglect by the railway ministry on the problems and needs of crores of common citizens who daily commute by Mumbai local trains. Instead of fixing the essential services the ministry wastes funds on unnecessary projects like the Bullet Trains etc.

CITU demands a thorough and impartial probe into this accident to establish the reason for the accident. The overall aspect of infrastructure maintenance, comprehensive preventive safety management and also the manpower-management involved in those critical tasks must be examined for fixing the accountability of both management and related policy measures. CITU asserts that the safety of passengers cannot be compromised under any circumstances

CITU calls upon all sections of the working class and its affiliate unions to protest/demonstrate against this negligence of the railway ministry.

Issued by
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

The meeting of the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and Independent Sectoral Federations/Associations was held on 15^th May 2025 in New Delhi to review the preparatory activities for the countrywide General Strike on 20^th May 2025. It also took note of the unfolding political developments in the country after the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam killing 26 innocent people, and the response of the Indian Armed Forces in their combat strike actions.

The Joint Platform in its press statement on 9^th May strongly condemned the terrorist attack on innocent people in Pahalgam. It had also urged the government to ensure measures against those who are resorting to divisive hate campaign inside the country at such critical times. We had also applauded the immediate collective response by the working people throughout the country including in Jammu & Kashmir condemning terrorism and hate campaign asserting their unity and solidarity in the all-out fight against terrorism.

After due consideration of the prevailing situation throughout the country, the Joint Platform as an integral part of the responsible patriotic citizenry of the country decided to re-schedule the Nationwide General Strike from 20^th May to 9^th July, 2025 against implementation of Labour Codes and other legitimate demands of the workers, farmers and people in general. It was resolved that on 20^th May, massive demonstrations/mobilisations should be held at State Capital/District/Industry level/Workplace.

However, most appallingly, even in the midst of such critical situation prevailing in the country owing to terrorist massacre and consequent developments, the employers’ class actively supported by the Govts at the centre and in many states is carrying on its onslaughts on the workers and employees across the establishments. Working hours are being unilaterally increased; statutory minimum wages and social security benefits are being flouted. Workers, particularly contract workers are being retrenched with impunity. These are nothing but heinous attempts to implement notorious Labour Codes through backdoor. At the same time despite repeated persuasion by trade unions, the Govt did not bother to meet and consult the Central Trade Unions or to hold Indian labour conference, despite receiving notices for strike from all corners of the country across the sectors.

In this background the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions and Independent Sectoral Federations/Associations calls upon the working people and their unions throughout the country to keep vigorous continuity of their preparations for the General Strike and make the rescheduled call for countrywide General Strike on 9^th July 2025 a massive success.     

At the same time, the Joint Platform also demands upon the Govt of India to reciprocate the positive approach of the trade union movement and desist from any unilateral precipitative move in the matter of Labour Codes and other legitimate demands relating to working conditions and workers’ rights, both individual and collective and create any kind of provocations in this trying hour before the entire country.

            INTUC                               AITUC                             HMS                              CITU                                 AIUTUC

            TUCC                         SEWA                                 AICCTU                               LPF                             UTUC

And independent sectoral Federations/Associations

केंद्रीय ट्रेड यूनियनों और स्वतंत्र सेक्टोरल फेडरेशनों/संघों के संयुक्त मंच की बैठक 15 मई 2025 को नई दिल्ली में आयोजित की गई, जिसमें 20 मई 2025 को प्रस्तावित देशव्यापी आम हड़ताल की तैयारी की समीक्षा की गई। इस बैठक में पहलगाम में हुए क्रूर आतंकवादी हमले में 26 निर्दोष लोगों की हत्या और उसके बाद भारतीय सशस्त्र बलों द्वारा की गई जवाबी कार्रवाई की पृष्ठभूमि में देश में उत्पन्न राजनीतिक घटनाक्रमों पर भी विचार किया गया।

संयुक्त मंच ने 9 मई को जारी अपने बयान में पहलगाम में निर्दोष लोगों पर हुए आतंकवादी हमले की कड़ी निंदा की थी। मंच ने सरकार से अपील की  थी कि वह देश के भीतर इस संकट की घड़ी में नफरत फैलाने वाले अभियान चला रहे तत्वों के खिलाफ सख्त कार्रवाई करे।

मीटिंग में देशभर में, विशेष रूप से जम्मू और कश्मीर में, आतंकवाद और नफरत के खिलाफ कामगारों की एकजुटता और उनके सामूहिक विरोध को भी सराहा गया।

देशभर में वर्तमान परिस्थितियों पर गंभीरता से विचार करने के बाद, देश के जिम्मेदार और देशभक्त नागरिकों का प्रतिनिधित्व करते हुए संयुक्त मंच ने देशव्यापी आम हड़ताल की तिथि को 20 मई से बढ़ाकर 9 जुलाई 2025 करने का निर्णय लिया है। यह निर्णय श्रम संहिताओं के क्रियान्वयन और श्रमिकों, किसानों तथा आम जनता की अन्य जायज मांगों के हक में लिया गया है। यह भी तय किया गया कि 20 मई को सभी राज्य की राजधानियों, जिलों, औद्योगिक क्षेत्रों और कार्यस्थलों पर बड़े पैमाने पर प्रदर्शन/जुटान किए जाएंगे।

लेकिन अत्यंत दुखद है कि देश में आतंकवादी हमले और उससे उत्पन्न संवेदनशील स्थिति के बावजूद नियोक्ताओं का वर्ग, केंद्र और कई राज्यों की सरकारों के सहयोग से, श्रमिकों पर हमले जारी रखे हुए हैं । कार्य के घंटे एकतरफा रूप से बढ़ाए जा रहे हैं; वैधानिक न्यूनतम वेतन और सामाजिक सुरक्षा लाभों का उल्लंघन किया जा रहा है। विशेष रूप से संविदा श्रमिकों की छंटनी बेरोक-टोक की जा रही है। यह सब बदनाम श्रम संहिताओं को चुपके से लागू करने के प्रयास हैं। वहीं, बार-बार आग्रह करने के बावजूद न तो सरकार ने केंद्रीय ट्रेड यूनियनों से मिलने की जहमत उठाई, न ही भारतीय श्रम सम्मेलन का आयोजन किया, जबकि देश के कोने-कोने से हड़ताल की नोटिसें दी जा चुकी हैं।

इस पृष्ठभूमि में केंद्रीय ट्रेड यूनियनों और स्वतंत्र सेक्टोरल फेडरेशनों/संघों का संयुक्त मंच देशभर के कामगारों और उनकी यूनियनों से अपील करता है कि वे आम हड़ताल की तैयारियों को और तेज करें और 9 जुलाई 2025 को प्रस्तावित देशव्यापी आम हड़ताल को ऐतिहासिक सफलता बनाएं।

साथ ही, संयुक्त मंच भारत सरकार से मांग करता है कि वह ट्रेड यूनियन आंदोलन के इस सकारात्मक रुख का सम्मान करे और श्रम संहिताओं सहित श्रमिकों की कामकाजी परिस्थितियों और अधिकारों से संबंधित अन्य जायज मुद्दों पर कोई भी एकतरफा और उकसावेपूर्ण कदम उठाने से परहेज करे, खासकर इस कठिन समय में जब पूरा देश एकजुट होकर गंभीर चुनौतियों का सामना कर रहा है।

इंटक        एटक             एचएमएस               सीटू           एआइयूटीयूसी  

टीयूसीसी                       सेवा                                 एआईसीसीटीयू             एलपीफ             यूटीयूसी

तथा स्वतंत्र सेक्टोरल फेडरेशन्स/संघ

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) is deeply grieved at the demise of Comrade Nepaldeb Bhattacharya, senior trade union leader, President of All India Road Transport Workers Federation and All India Working Committee member of CITU. Comrade Bhattacharya was admitted in a nursing home at Kolkata for critical ailment a few days back. He breathed his last today on 13^th May, 2025 around 1.25 AM. He was 74.

Comrade Nepaldeb Bhattacharya joined the student movement and the communist movement in his early youth during late sixties. He had been one of the frontline organizers of the student movement. He was elected as the All India General Secretary of SFI in 1979 and continued up to 1986. Subsequently he joined the trade union movement and played a crucial role in organizing the unorganized workers in West Bengal. He was instrumental in building rail hawker union in West Bengal, later he joined the transport workers movement and became a frontline organizer of transport workers movement in West Bengal and national level also. He was elected President of All India Road Transport Workers Federation from its 11^th All India Conference held in July, 2022. He has been the All India Working Committee member of CITU for a long period. He is also the President of CITU North 24 Pargana district Committee.

Comrade Nepaldeb Bhattacharya played important role in parliamentary front as well in championing peoples’ cause, he was elected in Rajya Sabha from West Bengal in 1981.

Comrade Nepaldeb Bhattacharya, despite ill health, remained active in TU movement until he fell seriously ill and was hospitalized recently. He joined the Road Transport Workers Parliament March on 24^th March, 2025 and also participated in the preparatory campaign for the historic Brigade Rally at Kolkata on 20^TH April, 2025, while also being present in Brigade Rally.

At Comrade Nepaldeb Bhattacharya’s demise, the trade union movement has lost a senior frontline experienced leader.  It is a big loss.

CITU conveys its heartfelt condolences at the demise of Comrade Nepaldeb Bhattacharya, to his bereaved wife Manjula Bhattacharya and other family members and comrades. Comrade Nepaldeb Bhattacharya Red Salute!

Tapan Sen
General Secretary

Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) welcomes the ceasefire announcement between India and Pakistan. Upon receiving the news of stoppage of war, the people from both the countries- heaved a sigh of great relief as both the neighbouring nations desperately need peace for their own progress.

CITU sincerely hopes that India and Pakistan should re-built the mutual trust and co-operation in containing and eradicating the menace of terrorism that is inhuman in nature and strive to foster our historical bonds and relationship to new height that would bring prosperity not only to both countries but to the entire region. Pakistan should ensure that its soil not to be used by the terrorist for their nefarious activities.

CITU earnestly appeals to the working people of both countries that we should not allow this sub-continent to become a theater for any terrorist conspiracy and urge upon them to be always vigilant against such a designs that would undoubtedly undermine our own mutual developments and progress and the tranquility

Issued By
Tapan Sen
General Secretary

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) denounces the proposal of the Union Govt to further give more concessions to wilful defaulting employers of their statutory obligations/dues under EPF & Miscellaneous Provisions Act by way of  sharply reducing the rate of statutory penal damages recovery retrospectively from defaulting employers in depositing the PF, Pension and EDLI contributions of the workers with EPFO.

The proposal shall reduce crores of rupees penal damages in total levied under section 14B of EPF & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 for the offence of wilful default by the employers in the payment of contributions and other statutory dues under the Act at varied rates of damages for varied period of default in the pending disputes before 14^th June 2024.  This is done in the guise of Alternative Disputes Resolution Mechanism (ADR) just to help the defaulting employers at the cost of employee’s interest and their retirement benefits.      

Through this the Modi Govt is retrospectively giving effect to its earlier notification dated 14^th June, 2024, through which it had reduced all damage rates for all defaults of the employers in respect of EPF, to mere 1% per month, i.e., 12% per annum across the board to all Schemes, done apparently, in the name promoting ease of doing business, shamelessly defeating the very purpose of the EPF Act and its strict compliance. Prior to  14^th June, 2024, the penal charges were calculated at the rate of 5% per annum for default period of less than two months, 10% for default period of two months and above but less than four months, 15% for four months and above but less than six months and 25% for six months and above. Last year, at the behest of employers in a single stroke Modi regime had reduced it to 1% per month as soon as assuming office for the third time. At that time all Central Trade Unions including CITU vehemently opposed such a move then itself. Such atrocious move of the Govt vide its notification dated 14^th June 2024 was a virtual license to the employers/corporate to violate the EPF Act liberally besides promoting and legitimising a pilferage on workers lifetime savings in provident fund and related benefits.

But the lust for bigger loot on workers of the employers’ class does not end there itself. And the Modi Govt has gone a step further in shamelessly extending the concessions for its masters in the employers’ class to loot on workers in all the pending cases of defaults and related cases of litigations prior to 14^th June 2024 retrospectively. At the dictate of the Govt and the Ministry, the Additional Central Provident Fund Commissioner (Legal) EPFO, in the meeting of Central Trade Unions for a consultation held on 29.4.2025, has shamelessly proposed the extension/retrospective application of the earlier order on drastic reductions in penalty-damage rate for wilful default in EPF dues, dated 14^th June 2024 to all cases of similar defaults by employers prior to 14^th June 2024. All the trade union representatives including CITU present in the meeting have vigorously opposed such notoriously shameless proposal made by EPFO in the meeting.        

The meeting with the CTUs on 29-04-2025 was called by EPFO to discuss the so-called implementation of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Mechanism in EPFO. Disputes pertained to issue of numerous cases of wilful defaults by the employers in paying their statutory dues to workers provident fund pending prior to 14^th June 2024. The Govt through EPFO proposed a mechanism of virtually legitimising all such defaults through liberal reduction of the damage rates, instead of making them to strictly comply with the law of the land under section 14B of EPF Act.      

The sections 7Q & 14B of the Act are only deterrent provisions against such defaults and, in addition, that are the only instruments to ensure the compliance of Act passed by the sovereign Parliament. The policy of waiver of tax dues of defaulting rich and big business under Modi regime in the name of “Vivaad Se Vishwas & Samasya Se Samadhan” for ease of doing business is being attempted to be implemented even in social security legislations meant for the betterment of the working people and their post retirement benefits. The decriminalisation process of the 180 provisions of 41 legislations done through Jan Vishwas Act 2023 is being done through this executive order in the EPF Act just to aid the wilful defaulting employers, that too retrospectively.   

The pro corporate face of Modi regime is glaringly visible through this proposal even in encouraging them to violate the only extant social security legislation- the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 – that guarantees some minimum benefits like provident fund, pension and some assured benefits in the event of death in harness- that too mostly for organised work force in our country.

CITU demands the Union Government to rescind this anti-labour and default-promoting pro-employer proposals immediately and calls upon the working people to intensify the ongoing preparations and campaigns to make 20^th May General Strike a success in order to defeat such pro corporate anti- worker machinations by the Corporate-Communal ruling dispensation at the centre.

Issued by
Tapan Sen 
General Secretary