Central Trade Unions Demand Immediate Formation of Eighth Pay Commission

Central Trade Unions Demand Immediate Formation of Eighth Pay Commission. Ten Central Trade Unions (CTUs) and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) have urged the Centre to set up the Eighth Pay Commission.. The demand was raised during a pre-Budget discussion with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Central Trade Unions Demand Immediate Formation of Eighth Pay Commission

Key Demands

1. Wage Revision in PSUs
   • Immediate initiation of wage negotiations in public sector undertakings (PSUs).
2. Income Tax Relief
   • Increase in income tax threshold to ₹10 lakh.
   • No income tax on pensions for retired employees.
3. Job Creation & Employment Policies
   • Filling of all vacant sanctioned posts in PSUs and government departments.
   • Removal of the ban on creating new government jobs.
   • End to job outsourcing and contractualization.
4. MGNREGA Expansion
   • Increase in workdays under MGNREGA to 200 per year.
   • Raise daily wages under the scheme to ₹600.
   • Introduction of a similar employment guarantee policy for urban workers.

Opposition to Privatisation and Disinvestment

• Trade unions strongly opposed the government’s privatisation and disinvestment policies.
• They demanded a rollback of the sale of PSUs and public services to private players.

Expansion of Employee Benefits

• Increase in Provident Fund (PF) and State Insurance coverage.
• Extend these benefits to gig workers, app-based workers, and domestic workers.

Indian Labour Conference Revival

• The unions urged the government to convene the Indian Labour Conference.
• This tripartite body should be actively involved in addressing employment issues.

Social Security for Unorganised Sector

1. Funding for Social Security Boards
   • Ensure adequate funding for unorganised sector welfare boards.
   • Include beedi workers welfare board and contract labour board.
2. Special Packages for Labour-Intensive Sectors
   • Support for plantation, beedi, agriculture, and fisheries sectors.

Pension Reforms

• Increase the minimum pension for PF pensioners from ₹1,000 to ₹5,000.
• Establish 50% of minimum wages as the pension benchmark.
• Link pensions to variable dearness allowance (VDA).

Why These Demands Matter

• These reforms can uplift millions of workers across India.
• A structured Pay Commission ensures fair compensation for government employees.
• Higher pensions provide economic security to senior citizens.
• Job creation in PSUs can reduce unemployment rates.
• Expansion of MGNREGA can provide stability to rural workers.

Government’s Response So Far

• The Centre has not yet given any commitment on these demands.
• Budget 2025 is expected to indicate the government’s stance on these issues.

Conclusion

The demand for the Eighth Pay Commission and other economic reforms reflect the urgency of addressing wage stagnation, rising unemployment, and pension inadequacies. The Centre’s decision will impact millions of employees, pensioners, and informal sector workers. With the Budget 2025 around the corner, all eyes are on the government’s next move.