Thiruvananthapuram, 12 Oct 2025

The Indian National Trade union Congress (INTUC) has announced a state-level protest against the Kerala government’s sudden and steep hike in trade union registration fees, terming it an attack on workers’ constitutional rights.

The demonstration is scheduled for October 14 in front of the State Labour Commissioner’s office in Thiruvananthapuram, with INTUC leaders warning that the fee increase threatens the very foundation of workers’ rights in the state.

The government has raised the registration fee for trade unions from ₹1,000 to ₹10,000, a twenty-fold increase. By contrast, several other states, including West Bengal, still allow unions to register for as little as ₹5. INTUC State President R. Chandrasekharan described the hike as “not just a fee increase but a deliberate attempt to strangle workers’ organisations and curb collective bargaining.”

Under existing labour laws, any workplace or sector with a minimum of seven employees is entitled to form a trade union. INTUC argues that the exorbitant registration fee undermines this constitutional right and signals a broader anti-labour agenda. At an urgent state leadership meeting, INTUC also criticised the government for withholding welfare pensions, freezing salary and dearness allowance hikes, and weakening labour welfare boards.

The union resolution stated, “The Left government, which once claimed to champion the working class, is now protecting corporate interests while suppressing labour movements. This fee hike is the latest evidence of that betrayal.” Chandrasekharan urged workers and trade unions across Kerala to join the October 14 protest, emphasising that opposing this policy is crucial not only for trade unions but for the welfare of society at large.
The protest is expected to draw widespread participation, reflecting the growing discontent among workers against what they perceive as a corporate-friendly, anti-worker government policy.

000