The Union Labour Ministry’s draft labour policy, the Shram Shakti Niti 2025, which was released for public comments on Wednesday (October 8, 2025), is facing opposition from trade unions. The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) said in a statement on Thursday that it rejects the draft labour policy because of the nature of its unveiling as “a unilateral diktat” of the BJP government. “This comes in a blatant violation of the established tripartite process. This deeply alarming and anti-democratic move has left the workers and the trade unions with a sense of shock and betrayal,” AITUC general secretary Amarjeet Kaur said.
Ms. Kaur urged the Union Labour Ministry to immediately withdraw the draft and initiate discussions with the central trade unions (CTUs) before finalising it for public opinion. “A labour policy means the government’s comprehensive framework to regulate the workplace and manage the country’s employment landscape, ensuring labour rights and protection. Discussions with the CTUs as the main stakeholders before drafting such a policy are a standard and crucial practice established in India. Only such a practice ensures the legitimacy and effectiveness of the draft policy,” she said in the statement.
