The Hindu : Kerala News : VS: labour laws to be implemented in SEZs

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Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008
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VS: labour laws to be implemented in SEZs

Special Correspondent

SEZs have created islands of ‘no-labour law implementation’ in the country
“Globalisation has increased poverty, unemployment and inequality in the country”

KOCHI: Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has said that the export processing zones in the special economic zones (SEZs) have created islands of ‘no-labour law implementation’ in the country.

But the Kerala government has made it clear that all labour laws should be implemented in special economic zones and labour rights would be protected, he told the concluding session of the international trade union congress organised by the Southern Initiative on Globalisation and Trade Union Rights (SIGTUR).

Mr. Achuthanandan said that globalisation had increased poverty, unemployment and inequality in the country. He noted that mere economic development did not lead to social development. This was proved by the fact that though the Indian economy was growing at 8-9 per cent a year, a large number of farmers had committed suicide. A higher rate of growth did not automatically lead to everybody enjoying the right to work or proper nutrition and health care.

The Chief Minister said it was necessary to find alternatives to globalisation. There had been constant attempt to claim that there was no alternative, but these would not succeed as globalisation could not solve the problems facing humanity. Globalisation was increasingly becoming unacceptable to the poor and they were bound to revolt against the injustices done to them. “It is due to this that we support all the struggles of the trade unions and other mass organisations against the policies of capitalist globalisation,” he said.

The four-day congress, attended by trade union leaders from 19 countries, ended with a mass rally taken out . Mr. Achutanandan addressed the rally in which over 100 foreign delegates participated.

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