Source Live mint
Thiruvananthapuram, November 23, 2025 — Congress leader K. Muraleedharan sharply condemned the central government’s newly implemented labour codes, calling them “anti-national” and asserting that they deny justice to workers across India.
Muraleedharan was speaking to ANI when he criticized a key provision in the codes that mandates at least 10 per cent of workers to be members of a union for it to be formally constituted. He argued that forcing such a threshold undermines the fundamental right of workers to unionize.
> “To form an organisation is their right,” he said. “They are encouraging the owners of the factories … Workers are not getting justice from most of the management across India.”
He added, “This is anti-national and we will not support it.”
What the New Codes Change
The four labour codes came into effect on November 21, 2025, consolidating 29 previous labour laws into the following:
Code on Wages, 2019
Industrial Relations Code, 2020
Code on Social Security, 2020
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020
Under the Industrial Relations Code, a union needs 51 per cent membership to gain recognition as the “Negotiating Union.” According to the government, this strengthens collective bargaining. The code also broadens the legal definition of a “strike” to include actions such as mass casual leave, a move meant to prevent flash strikes.
Congress and Wider Political Pushback
Muraleedharan’s criticism joins that of other senior Congress leaders. General Secretary Jairam Ramesh has also criticized the labour reform, arguing that the four codes simply repackage old laws and fail to address core worker demands.
Ramesh highlighted several unfulfilled demands, including:
A national minimum wage of ₹400 per day, even for MGNREGA workers
A right to a Health Law that provides universal health coverage of ₹25 lakh
An employment guarantee for urban areas, and comprehensive social security for unorganised workers, including life and accident insurance
A commitment to phase out contractualisation for core government functions
Labour Unions Align with the Criticism
The trade union response has been strong. Ten central trade unions described the implementation of the labour codes as “anti-worker and pro-employer,” accusing the government of a “deceptive fraud” against workers. They have called for nationwide protests, arguing that the reforms weaken key worker protections, restrict their right to strike, and make the labour market more flexible in favor of corporations.
Kerala’s Response
In Kerala, the state government has publicly rejected the idea that it will compromise on worker rights during the implementation of the new codes. Labour Minister V. Sivankutty assured that the Left-ruled state will not take an “anti-worker stand.” He stated that the state will involve trade unions and industry representatives in formulating local rules, prioritizing social security, dignity, and safety for workers.
Implications and Outlook
Critics like Muraleedharan fear that the new labour codes will erode the hard-won collective rights of workers, especially around union formation and fair negotiations. With organized labor pushing back and political opposition uniting, the early days of implementation may see strong resistance. Trade unions have already announced protests, and the standoff could test how these codes play out in practice.
