NEW INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS BILL: AN ANTI-WORKING CLASS MEASURE – A CRITIQUE

Abstract

The introduction of the anti-working class, anti-union Industrial Relations Bill in Parliament in the wake of the passage of the 45th Constitutional Amendment Bill* in the Lok Sabha glaringly exposes the limitations of the Janata leaders' concept of democracy. The 45th Amendment Bill is designed to eliminate the Emergency framework institutionalised by the 42nd Amendment Act. The anti-trade union Bill in reality institutionalises the Emergency provisions and policies in relation to the trade union movement.

All legislations which purport to deal with "industrial relations", but refuse to recognise the existence of two unequal classes, one of whom has to fight for its livelihood against the money-power of the other, end in putting one-sided restrictions on the oppressed and exploited classes and help the process of exploitation. 'Industrial relations' is a non-class expression to hide the ugly reality of class struggle, of the necessity for any genuine democracy to throw its full weight behind the oppressed to curb the exploiters.

*The 45th Constitutional Amendment Bill was renamed as The Constitution (44th Amendment) Act, 1978 upon final passage.