The workers’ body argues that the new codes effectively weaken trade unions and dilute job security
NEW DELHI — The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), under the banner of the All India Workers Forum, has sharply criticised the Union government for what it describes as a systematic dismantling of democratic labour institutions and an attempt to impose “corporate rule” through the new Labour Codes.
In a detailed statement on Friday, the platform accused the government of bypassing long-established tripartite mechanisms and eroding rights that workers in India have won through decades of struggle.
At the centre of the criticism is the Indian Labour Conference (ILC)—the country’s apex tripartite consultative body comprising representatives of the government, employers and trade unions. The ILC has not been convened since 2015. According to NAPM, this eight-year abandonment marks an “utter disregard for democratic procedure” and reflects the government’s unwillingness to engage with workers’ organisations before introducing sweeping changes to labour law.
The forum argues that labour rights in India, much like across the world, have historically been achieved only through “protracted workers’ struggles”. The dismantling of these rights, it said, comes against the backdrop of four decades of deregulation, which have not delivered on promises of development or inclusive growth. Instead, the statement notes, inequality has reached “historic highs” while workers continue to face stagnating wages, job insecurity and weakened social protections.
According to NAPM, the country’s economic model has increasingly consolidated wealth and industrial power in the hands of a “favoured duopoly”, yet has failed to generate broad-based prosperity. The organisation alleges that instead of acknowledging this failure, the government and corporate interests have chosen to blame workers’ rights for economic stagnation, using this narrative to justify the dilution of labour protections through the four Labour Codes.
The statement argues that the new codes—pitched by the government as measures to simplify complex labour laws and boost employment—effectively weaken trade unions, dilute job security, and expand employer flexibility at the cost of workers’ safety and dignity. With these changes, the forum claims, workers are being pushed back toward conditions reminiscent of earlier eras of exploitation.
The NAPM asserts that the BJP government’s actions signal a “full imposition of Corporate Rule over Indians”, warning that the erosion of labour rights threatens the foundations of democratic decision-making in the workplace and beyond. By undermining consultative bodies like the ILC and fast-tracking legislation without consultation, the government, they argue, is normalising unilateral policymaking that excludes those most affected.
The All India Workers Forum has called upon citizens across the country to resist what it describes as an unjust attempt to “rob honest, hardworking people of their rights.” It welcomed progressive groups, civil society organisations and individuals who joined the united protests emerging from the trade union movement, including nationwide protests earlier this week.
The statement emphasises that these mobilisations are not just about restoring previous labour protections but about defending democratic norms, social justice and the dignity of labour.
The organisation also pledged to “upend the devious plan to disenfranchise Indian workers” and to continue building a broad-based movement for a future rooted in equality and security for working people. It reaffirmed its commitment to a vision of development that prioritises rights, welfare and harmony, rejecting what it terms as the corporate-driven model of the current regime.
As the debate over the Labour Codes intensifies, the confrontation between the government and workers’ groups appears set to escalate. Trade unions across the country have been mobilising against the codes, arguing that they will make it harder for workers to unionise, easier for employers to fire them, and risk destabilising conditions for millions in the unorganised sector. The government, however, maintains that the codes will improve ease of doing business and attract investment.
With the ILC remaining dormant and no formal platform for consensus-building in place, labour rights activists say that mass mobilisation has become the primary avenue for workers to make their voices heard. The All India Workers Forum’s statement ends with a call to unity: “Working Class Unity Long Live!”
