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CPI (M) demands application of labour laws in IT sector

     New Delhi: The Left parties said on Wednesday that the Information Technology (IT) sector should be brought under the ambit of the labour laws. The politburo of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), which held a two-day meeting in the capital, had an extensive discussion on the IT sector. CPI (M) leader Prakash Karat said that right to form trade unions and collective bargaining should exist in the IT sector. "As far as IT sector is concerned, enterprises in this sector have to abide by labour laws, right of the trade unions to exist in this sector should be ensured. The right for collective bargaining should be there," he told a news conference. The politburo decided to prepare a comprehensive document on the working of the IT sector that will be placed before the party's central committee in December. "Second part is that the nature and part of the IT sector. IT is not a homogenous sector, from that basis, the politburo will be prepare a more comprehensive document which we will submit to our central committee in December, so that is a clearer understanding of what the IT sector, the various types of enterprises and nature of work and therefore, the question of rights of employees and their working conditions, the nature of their working is concerned, there will be greater clarity in our party," he added. There was a strong objection in the party when one of its senior leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya decided to include the IT sector under the public utility services to insulate it from strikes.