New Delhi, March 27 A joint platform of central trade unions on Friday called for observing April 1, 2026, as a "Black Day" to stage a protest against the four labour codes implemented by the government.
The Indian government has implemented four labour codes – Code on Wages 2019, Industrial Relations Code 2020, Social Security Code 2020, and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020 – from November 21, 2025.
The Platform of Central Trade Unions and Independent Sectoral Federations and Associations has called upon the trade unions to organize April 1st as a "Black Day," a day that has also been declared by the union government as the day for the notification of the Central rules for the implementation of the four labour codes, a statement said.
The trade unions have consistently opposed and demanded the scrapping of these anti-worker, pro-employer labour codes, introduced in the name of "labour reform" to facilitate "ease of doing business," it stated.
The Central government is reluctant to withdraw the Labour Codes or call a meaningful meeting with Central Trade Unions regarding the issue, even after the historic February 12 General Strike, it stated.
They alleged that no consultations with trade unions were held from the drafting stage; no Indian Labour Conference was called for discussions on such a serious matter concerning the workforce of this country, in violation of international labour standards to which India, as a nation state, is a signatory and committed.
They further alleged that these labour codes are intended to push the workforce, the wealth producers of our country, once again into the exploitative conditions of the British colonial era.
"We, the Central Trade Unions, appeal to all sections of society to extend their support to this protest programme to retain the hard-won right to organize and the right to collective bargaining, and to ensure the right to protest/fight for our legitimate entitlements that were contemplated through labour law codification," they said in the statement.
They stated that April 1st should be observed as a "Black Day" in all workplaces across the country.
It should be observed in different formats as per the decision of the state units jointly and independently, and with solidarity support from the SKM (Samyukta Kisan Morcha).
It should be observed with black badges, bands on arms/forehead at workplaces, lunch hour protests with slogans, protests, demonstrations, and processions wherever possible, cycle/motorcycle jathas or any other innovative methods.
The joint forum of trade unions includes AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF and UTUC.