The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) led National People’s Power (NPP) of the Opposition is to consult with the relevant stakeholders, especially with the working community, regarding the new labour laws that are to be introduced by the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment, The Daily Morning learnt.

When queried by The Daily Morning about the NPP’s stance on the new labour reforms, NPP Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath said that their Party is looking forward to having discussions with the relevant social groups that are directly affected by these labour laws in order to create a widespread dialogue in the society in this regard.

However, he said that it is too premature to make criticisms on the proposed labour law reforms as the process is still underway.

“As a Party that always stands beside the underprivileged working community, the NPP is looking into their best interests. Therefore, we won’t allow the Government at any time to pass any law that affects the working community. Labour laws play a vital role in the economy of a country and they directly affect the lives of the labourers. Hence, we believe that labour laws should focus much on the interests of the working community but not on the interests of the Government or any other international organisation. So, we are closely observing how this is going on. However, we are yet to have proper discussions in this regard,” he said.

He also said that the NPP hopes to raise more concerns about the new reforms that are to be done to the prevailing labour laws and to oppose this if the Government is attempting to repress the working community, especially trade unions under the guise of new labours laws in order to appease the International Monetary Fund.

MP Herath expressed these views in the wake of the Government having commenced obtaining public views and proposals on making new labour laws with the idea of creating a new integrated labour law to encourage foreign investments and an export oriented economy. As a result of that, in early May, the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment introduced a new platform called INFLUX with the aim of obtaining public opinion for the new labour law reforms.