Kerala Labour Movement (KLM) is the official organ of Kerala Catholic Bishops’ (KCBC) commission for Labour working for the Welfare and Empowerment of the workers, especially the unorganized workers in Kerala.  It was functional since 1972 and has the history of four decades of selfless service in the empowerment of the unorganized workers in the State.  KLM outreach to the grass roots is ensured through the diocesan networks of KLM and the networks of the workers’ forums.  Some of the workers forums organized by KLM have now been registered as the independent trade unions as the other trade unions in the State.  KLM has been recognized as the founder member of the Workers India Federation (WIF), the national body of the different labour movements and NGO s working with unorganized laborers.

Vision

KLM visualized a just society where all the workers enjoy dignity, equity, harmony and fullness of life.

Mission

KLM stands committed for the empowerment of the workers irrespective of caste, class and religion through social mobilization, decentralized participatory planning, promotion of good governance, gender justice and environmental sustainability.

Objectives of KLM

1. Enhance the dignity of the labour through the proper dissemination of the labour, rights, labour justice and labour responsibility perspectives of the Church and the International Labour Organization (ILO) and ensuring its truthful implementation in the labour settings.
2. Ensure labour justice to all workers especially the unorganized workers through lobbying for the appropriate labour legislations and the rightful implementation of existing labour laws of the country.
3. Empowerment of the unorganized workers through the Human and Institutional Development, Leadership Promotion and Capacity Building Programmes.
4. Ensure gender justice among the unorganized workers of the State through enhancing the bargaining power of the women unorganized workers and creating appropriate support mechanisms and legal help forums.
5. Universalisation of Social Security for the workers of the state through ensuring the proper budget allocation by both union and state governments via social advocacy.
6. Ensure the Right to Food of the unorganized workers of the state through the social campaign, legal remedies and network with right based and community based organizations.
7. Improve the employability of the unorganized workers through skill up gradation, labour linkages and placement services.

Strategies of KLM

1. Information Dissemination and Awareness Generation, Mobilzation and Capacity Building
2. KLM Institutional Development and Leadership Promotion
3. Finishing Schools and Workers Facilitation Centres
4. Suraksha Clinics and Welfare Schemes
5. Job Placements and Human Resource Management Services
6. Research, Documentation and Publications
7. Social Campaign, Lobbying and Social Advocacies.

Programmes of KLM:

KLM Diocesan System Building

Kerala Labor Movement (KLM) is the network of different diocesan labour movements conglomerated under KCBC Labour commission and registered as a civil society organization and therefore it strives to improve the functioning of the diocesan set up of KLM through varied programmes and support mechanisms.

Labour Forums and Trade Unions

Animation and awareness Generation actualized through KLM would essentially lead to the clustering of the disadvantaged sections among the unorganized labour folk and thereby different labour for a will be organized in the grassroots.  The labour forums thus generated eventually get registered as the trade unions to amass their bargain power and to negotiate with all the stakeholders to ensure their rights.

Women Empowerment

A separate cell for gender justice in the work settings for the women is organized under the auspices of KLM’s women’s forum and functional at the Workers Facilitation Centre at Ernakulam.

Finishing Schools

Finishing Schools are conducted by KLM to improve the technical and soft skills of the unorganized workers and thereby improve their employability.  KLM has made effective link with different Business corporate to train the unorganized workers.

Workers’ Facilitation Centres

Workers’ Facilitation Centres are established to give effective service to unorganized workers with regard to their placements, HR services, enrollment in the welfare fund and other social security programmes.

Suraksha Programmes and Clinics

‘KLM Suraksha A’ is a social safety net programme designed for the employees in the church owned institutions under KCBC.  It is a contributory social security scheme that has got Life Insurance Coverage with Superannuation pension scheme attached to it.  The premium amount is shared between the employer and employee.  The benefits of the government schemes for the unorganized workers are also linked with this programme.  ‘KLM Suraksha B’ is for unorganized workers.  Also Suraksha Clinics are conducted to avail the service of the social security programmes in the village levels.