PUNE: The strategic workforce partnership between India and Israel has entered an exciting new phase as thousands of skilled Indian workers flock to ITI Aundh, Pune, for the second round of a ground-breaking recruitment initiative.

This drive, which commenced on September 17 and will run through September 25, 2024, marks a significant milestone in international labour cooperation.

A delegation of 12 Israeli officials arrived in India on September 16 to oversee this ambitious recruitment effort. Their presence underscores the importance of this initiative, which aims to fulfill Israel’s growing demand for skilled construction workers while offering Indian talent unprecedented international career opportunities.

The current phase of recruitment builds upon the resounding success of the initial drive conducted earlier this year in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana. To date, approximately 4,800 Indian workers have already been deployed to Israel, earning competitive salaries of around Rs 1.32 lakh per month and a monthly bonus of Rs 16,000. An additional 1,500 workers from the first cohort began their journey to Israel on September 18, 2024, bringing the total number of skilled Indian professionals in Israel to over 5,000.

Encouraged by these positive outcomes, Israeli employers have expanded their recruitment targets, seeking an additional 10,000 candidates in this round. The focus remains on four critical areas of expertise: Framework, Iron Bending, Plastering, and Ceramic Tiling.

This initiative is the fruit of a landmark Government-to-Government (G2G) agreement signed between India and Israel in November 2023. The Maharashtra Government has shown its full support behind the program, providing crucial infrastructure and logistical support at ITI Aundh. Deputy Director and in-charge Joint Director Ramakant Bhavsar, along with his team, are spearheading the recruitment efforts at the institute.

The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) plays a pivotal role in this process, ensuring that India’s skilling programs align with global employment demands. Their tireless efforts guarantee that candidates are well-prepared for the technical and professional challenges they will face in Israel.

This recruitment drive represents a significant step in India’s journey to become a global supplier of high-quality human resources. It showcases the nation’s commitment to enhancing employment opportunities for its workforce in international markets, particularly in countries that value Indian expertise in labour-intensive industries.

As this initiative continues to gather momentum, it sets a powerful precedent for international labour mobility and demonstrates the mutual benefits of collaborative partnerships between nations. The success of this program is expected to pave the way for many more such international placement opportunities in the future, further cementing India’s position as a key player in the global skilled workforce arena.

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The award ceremony was held at CREDAI Pune Metro’s Ramkumar Rathi Auditorium, Pune. The awards were presented by the Additional Labor Commissioner of Pune Division- Shailendra Pol. Hemgauri Bhandari- Chief Advisor of the Quality Council of India, Alok Jain- Director of the Training and Capacity Building Department of the Quality Council of India, Ranjit Naiknavare- President of CREDAI Pune Metro, JP Shroff- President of the Pride Best Facilities Competition and CREDAI Kushal, Arvind Jain- Vice President of CREDAI Pune Metro; Ashwin Trimal- Secretary and Sapna Rathi, Coordinator of the Labor Welfare Committee were also present on the occasion.

The ceremony also included the launch of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) booklet related to the competition. This year’s winners in various categories include VTP Realty (Project – VTP Alter), Rohan Builders (Project – Rohan Anand), Legacy Life Spaces (Project – The Statement), Vilas Javdekar Developers (Project – Yashwin Arbo Centro), VTP Realty (Project – VTP Euphoria), Rohan Builders (Project – Rohan Abhilasha), Pride Builders (Project – Pride World City), Malpani Estate (Project – M Aryabhatt).

Special category awards were presented to SJ Constructions (Project – AP 4) for the highest BOCW registration, Panchshil Realty (Project – Vantage Tower) for outstanding health services, B G Shirke Constructions (Project – PMC River Revival) for crèche facilities, Bhate and Raje Constructions (Project – Tower Dassault  System Solutions Lab) for skilling, Shubham EPC (Project – STT – DC 05) for innovation and Mangalam Landmarks (Project – Mangalam Destinations) for women worker welfare.

Shailendra Pol praised the efforts of CREDAI Pune Metro in providing comprehensive support to construction workers, including essential facilities, health services, skill training, and growth opportunities. He emphasized that CREDAI Pune Metro’s initiatives should serve as a model for other CREDAI chapters and organizations across the country.

Ranjit Naiknavare highlighted the importance of providing necessary facilities and training to construction workers, addressing the challenge of skill development in the industry. He reiterated CREDAI Pune Metro’s commitment to fostering excellence and awareness in the construction sector.

Hemgauri Bhandari and Alok Jain also commended CREDAI Pune Metro’s leadership in worker welfare, with Alok Jain noting the organization’s exceptional work, especially concerning female workers.

The awards were coordinated by Sapna Rathi, Milind Talathi, and Parag Patil. The event was hosted by Archana Badhera, and Milind Talathi extended the vote of thanks.

Detailed Information on the Pride Best Facilities Awards

Categories and Award Recipients:

Category – 21 to 100 Workers:

• VTP Realty (Project – VTP Alter) and Rohan Builders (Project – Rohan Anand) – Gold Award
• Legacy Life Spaces (Project – The Statement) – Silver Award 

Category – 101 to 300 Workers:

• Vilas Javdekar Developers (Project – Yashwin Arbo Centro) – Gold Award
• VTP Realty (Project – VTP Euphoria) – Silver Award

Category – More than 300 Workers:

• Rohan Builders (Project – Rohan Abhilasha 3) and Pride Builders (Project – Pride World City) – Gold Award
• Malpani Estate (Project – M Aryabhatt) – Silver Award

Special Category Awards:
• SJ Constructions (Project – AP 4) – Highest BOCW Registration
•  Panchshil Realty (Project – Vantage Tower) – Health Services

•  B G Shirke Constructions (Project – PMC River Revival) – Crèche Facilities•  Bhate and Raje Constructions (Project – Tower Dassault System Solutions Lab) – Skilling
•  Shubham EPC (Project – STT – DC 05) – Innovation
•  Mangalam Landmarks (Project – Mangalam Destinations) – Women Worker Welfare

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The MOU builds on the FTC’s recent efforts to increase collaboration on issues facing workers, including the FTC’s recent MOU with the National Labor Relations Board as well as the FTC’s enforcement policy statement related to gig work. The agreement enables the FTC and DOL to closely collaborate by sharing information, conducting cross-training for staff at each agency, and partnering on investigative efforts within each agency’s authority.

“This agreement with the Department of Labor is part of our whole-of-government effort to protect workers from unlawful business practices,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “Deepening our partnership with DOL will ensure that we can work collectively to tackle illegal conduct that suppresses wages, reduces access to good benefits and working conditions, and stifles economic liberty for workers across the economy.“

The MOU identifies areas of mutual interest for the two agencies, including collusive behavior, the use of business models designed to evade legal accountability, illegal claims and disclosures about earnings and costs associated with work, the imposition of one-sided and restrictive contract provisions, the extent and impact of labor market concentration, and the impact of algorithmic decision-making on workers.

The agreement is part of a broader FTC initiative to use the agency’s full authority, including enforcement actions and Commission rulemaking, to protect workers. The FTC has made it a priority to scrutinize mergers that may harm competition in US labor markets. Research shows that these markets are already highly concentrated, and less competitive labor markets can enable firms to harm workers by lowering wages, reducing benefits, and perpetuating precarious or exploitative working conditions.

The FTC has also prioritized cracking down on anticompetitive contract terms that put workers at a disadvantage. The Commission is considering a proposed rule that would ban noncompete clauses in employment contracts and has taken action to protect workers in several Commission orders.

In addition, the agency will continue to take action to stop deceptive and unfair acts and practices aimed at workers, particularly those in the “gig economy” who often don’t enjoy the full protections of traditional employment relationships. The FTC’s actions in this area include cases against Amazon, Uber, HomeAdvisor, and Burgerim, an ongoing rulemaking to challenge bogus money-making claims and a notice of penalty offenses sent to more than 1,100 businesses that pitch money-making ventures.

The memorandum of understanding was signed by FTC Chair Lina M. Khan and Acting Secretary of Labor Julie A. Su. The agreement is in line with the President’s Executive Order on Competition, which affirms the importance of enforcing antitrust laws to combat abuses of market power, including in labor markets.

The FTC works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers. Consumers can learn more about consumer topics and report scams, fraud, and bad business practices online at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Follow the FTC on social media, read our blogs, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.

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