convention, rati ed by India in 1978, mandates a tripartite consultation
process involving government, employers and workers. In its response on 22
May, the ILO assured the unions that Ryder, the ILO’s DG, had
“immediately intervened, expressing his deep concern.” It added that the
ILO had appealed to Modi to “send a clear message to central and state
governments to uphold the country’s international commitments and
encourage engagement in e ective social dialogue.”
Nileena MS, a reporting fellow at The Caravan spoke to Corinne Vargha,
the director of the ILO’s International Labour Standards Department, on
the recent changes in labour laws and India’s response to workers’ issues
during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nileena MS: In the ILO’s monitor on the pandemic published
(https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/WCMS_740877/lang-it/index.htm) in April, the ILO had estimated about four hundred
million workers in the informal economy in India were at risk of
falling deeper into poverty. The report also emphasised the plight of
domestic migrant workers who returned to their hometowns as a
result of the lockdown. What do you think of India’s management of
labour issues during the pandemic?
Corinne Vargha: The pandemic has made us realise that while the
virus can indeed a ect everyone, not all workers are equally protected
against it. The occupation alongside the contractual status are the
determining factors. Normally, informal work will be a kind of a last
resort for the workers to rely on in di cult times. This is why normally
informal work tends to increase during economic and other crises. But
this time was quite di erent due to the strong measures which have
indeed restricted the movement of people and their economic activity.
Therefore, informal work was no longer an option available out there.
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CURRENT ISSUE / DECEMBER 2020