Trade unions in India stage nationwide protests against new labor codes

A coalition of 10 major Indian trade unions mounted nationwide protests Wednesday against the government’s rollout of new labor codes, saying the sweeping changes were “deceptive fraud” against workers. It is the first coordinated labor action since the codes took effect last week, underscoring deep tensions between unions and the government over the direction of economic reforms. “Workers’ rights are being bulldozed, and the government is justifying the move with a barrage of lies that the codes will benefit laborers,” said Tapan Sen, general secretary of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, which is aligned with the communist party and a key trade union in the group that called for the strike.