Workers’ Rights Under Siege: Nationwide Protests Called Against New Labour Codes

In a powerful stand for dignity and fair treatment, workers across the nation are gearing up for a major day of protest. On December 19, 2025, communities will gather at district and sub-divisional headquarters, including Hamirpur, in peaceful sit-ins and processions. Their grievance? Four new labour laws passed by the Central Government, which they fear will turn back the clock on decades of hard-won workers’ rights.

The heart of the issue is security—or the looming lack of it. For generations, a permanent job meant stability, a foundation to build a life and family. The new laws, workers argue, make that dream feel distant. With employment increasingly shifted to fixed-term, trainee, contract, and outsourced roles, many fear their futures have become uncertain and their bargaining power weakened.

A major point of concern is the changed rules for small workplaces and contractors. Previously, a contractor hiring 20 workers needed a license, ensuring some oversight. Now, that requirement has been raised to 50. Unions worry this opens the door for exploitation, as contractors may bypass essential worker benefits like minimum wage, provident fund, and health insurance with no license needed.

The protests also highlight a deep anxiety over job security. The simplified ability for factories to close or lay off workers without government permission—previously required for units with 300 workers—is being called a “hire and fire” policy. Many feel this leaves them vulnerable and disposable.

Further, workers express dismay at what they see as a weakening of the very systems meant to protect them. They claim labour officers can no longer conduct surprise inspections or help resolve disputes, and that labour courts may be staffed by retired bureaucrats instead of judges. This, they say, cripples their access to justice.

Perhaps the most striking claim is that in over 70% of the country’s industries—where fewer than 20 people work—core protections like minimum wage, maternity benefits, and social security may no longer apply. Protesters warn this creates a two-tier system and could lead to widespread exploitation.

“These laws aren’t about reform; they’re an attack on our basic rights,” the appeal states. “In the name of making business easier, they are making exploitation easier and more common.”

The call to action is clear. The protesting unions demand the immediate withdrawal of the four new labour codes. Their message is a plea for balance: a thriving economy should not come at the cost of the workforce’s dignity and security. The planned demonstrations on December 19th are a rallying cry, asserting that the fight for fair work is a fight for the soul of the nation’s progress.