The four labour codes were brought without any discussion with the labour unions, who have fiercely criticised the new codes. The Modi Government has not held the Indian Labour Conference in a decade, depriving the workers of a platform for negotiation.The ITUC Global Rights Index has categorized India as a nation with no guarantee of rights, with repressive action against workers, violation of the right to strike and civil liberties.According to the 2025 Economic Survey of India, the wages of salaried men declined by 6.4% while the wages of salaried women declined by 12.5% over the last six years. Among the self-employed men and women, the decline was 9% and 32% respectively. At the same time, the quality of jobs has also seen a decline, with regular jobs declining by from 22.8% to 21.7%. Meanwhile, the profits of corporations reached a 15-year-high in 2023-24.

When faced with criticism over the new labour codes, the Government claimed that the new labour code would allow a 4-day work-week. But with a caveat. The per-day work-hours would be increased from 8 hours to 12 hours. This is a deceit. The demand for a 4-day work-week entails an 32-hour work-week, not increasing daily work-hours.

(Quoting from Reddit 🧵)

The four labour codes on wages, social security, occupational safety and industrial relations, allows for dilution of workers' rights, including restricting the right to strike, weakening workplace safety, allowing hire-and-fire policy, and increasing the work-hours from the 8-hour work-day.#india