Events & Issues
New
Delhi, 31 July 2019
Labour Reforms
POSITIVE, GAPS REMAIN
By Dhurjati Mukherjee
Employment generation has been a big problem
as also the inflexible labour markets. In fact, the economy has been slow to
create well-paid jobs for the masses. Both in the realm of skilled and
unskilled labour, those working in the organised sector are paid well but those
engaged in the informal sector get poor remuneration. It is agreed by
economists that the protection extended to organised labour and their families,
which constitutes around 7-8 per cent of the population, may not fully reach
their counterparts in the informal sector and at least 70 per cent should be
extended to them.
It is in this connection that labour reforms
are needed as also a minimum wage in all parts of the country. The recent
decision of the Cabinet to approve four Labour codes by merging 13 Central
labour laws which will apply to all establishments employing 10 or more workers
is a step in the right direction. This consolidation can potentially benefit
large sections of the 40-crore workforce. The Code on ‘Occupational Safety,
Health and Working Conditions, 2019’, drafted in consultation with 13 workers’
organisations, is expected to enhance coverage of workers manifold. The rules
state that workers will have to be given an employment letter besides an annual
medical check-up, the labour minister, Santosh Gangwar stated in the Lok Sabha
while introducing it last week. The code will be applicable to all business
entities dealing in the port and mining sectors, even if they have only one
employee.
Another important action the government taken
is to introduce The Codes on Wages, 2019, prescribing a nation-wide daily
minimum wage of around Rs 178-180, rejecting the Anoop Satpathy panel
recommendation for at least Rs 375 a day. Though independent analysts and trade
union leaders described the move as ‘anti-labour’, in reality, 90 per cent of
labourers do not get this amount today. As is well known, there is variance in
daily wage amongst the States and a uniform rate would probably be better.
There are some who feel that minimum wage should be fixed depending on the cost
of living in different geographies. But the point to mention here is that State
governments are free to give more than the official minimum wage.
However, as per the bill, the minimum wage
will regularly be adjusted against rising prices with the appropriate
government (Central or State) consulting experts, employers and employees. A
very pertinent point is made by well-known social activist, Nikhil Dey, who
criticised the decision to leave the Mahatma Gandhi National Employment
Guarantee Act, which provides up to 100 days’ unskilled work for every rural
household a year, out of the bill’s purview.
If the Code on Wages Bill fixes Rs 178 as the
minimum wage, it would become binding across the country. One may mention here
that in 2017 it was notified that floor-level minimum wage would be Rs 176.
However, the rate would be too little and fixing the rate at around Rs 200-220
would have been more realistic, keeping in view the inflationary conditions and
the rising cost of living. The code has clearly stated higher wages for higher
levels of skills. There is also a need to review the minimum wage after a year
to ensure that it is in tune with inflationary conditions in the economy.
The decision to replace the existing labour
laws by four codes on wages, social security, industrial relations and workers
safety is clearly indicative of the fact that the government, after a long
time, is focussing its attention on labour reforms. But even after fixing the
minimum wage and giving more benefits to labour, the problems still
remain.
Some analysts are quite confused about the
minimum wage which, in certain parts, looks less while in others may be quite
adequate. There is hardly any mechanism in the hands of the panchayats or the
sub-divisional offices to ensure that minimum wages are being received by the
labourer. Even in small enterprises, the minimum wage is not given to unskilled
workers while their skilled counterparts may just get around Rs 20-25
more. What is the role of trade unionists in ensuring that justice is
meted to workers at the grass-root levels?
The economic condition prevailing in backward
districts of the country is such that a labour would accept whatever he is paid
which may be 25 per cent less than the prescribed minimum wage. In fact, most
of them do not know the minimum wage amount and thus have no alternative but to
accept whatever is given to him. Political leaders at the grass-root level are
usually found to back the businessmen and would mediate for the labour. An important
question that arises here is how many labourers can read, write and sign?
The next question is the hours of work, which
is normally found to be not less than 8-9 hours. Again there is no monitoring
and businessmen are allowed to exploit their workers, both in big and small
establishments. In this connection, one may refer to the Factory Act 1948,
which mandated overtime pay for any factory worker beyond 9 hours a day or 48
hours a week, at twice his ordinary wage rate. But the code is silent on overtime
pay, leaving it to the ‘appropriate government’. What to speak of such workers
in the unorganised sector; even in organised counterparts, one has to work, say
from 10 a. m. to 7/8 p.m. every day and sometime even more. If the government
is serious towards the whole question of labour reforms, the true picture needs
to be revealed and transparency brought about regarding conditions of work.
Economists agree that the long working hours
in most private sector units – even in big ones – have resulted in curtailment
of employment. Added to this, people above 62-65 years of age are retained to
work in a Consultant’s capacity with reduced pay, thereby blocking the
employment opportunities of a fresher.
There are virtually no health facilities in
most establishments but this is an important aspect that needs to be seriously
considered. The proposal of setting up a National Occupational Safety and
Health Advisory Board with representation of employers, employees and the
government is, no doubt, a step in the right direction, if it acts judiciously
on matters of health, safety and working conditions.
Thus, it can be concluded that the two bills
have positive points though in certain matters decision have not been taken and
left to the ‘appropriate authority’. Moreover, it would have been suitable if
MGNREA too would have been brought within the purview of applicability of
national minimum wage. As the bills are introduced in the Lok Sabha, it needs
to be seen how the Opposition views these and whether the government will
relent to their demand that these be sent to Parliamentary Standing
committee.---INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
|