This issue of Policy Watch cuts across several of the above themes and deals with the issue of Labour Rights and affirmative action in terms of protecting them against exploitation as well as ensuring fair wages, decent benefits and safe working conditions. The enactment of the Four Labour Codes in 2020, by combining as many as 39 existing labour laws is reviewed from different points of view.
The first article gives an overview of the labour situation in India in 2020. In it Vijay Mahajan, Director, RGICS, highlights the fact a vast majority of India’s workforce is engaged in the agricultural and the informal sector, about half is self-employed and a third are casual workers.
The second article is by Prof. Somnath Ghosh, Sr. Visiting Fellow, RGICS, and it traces out the history of labour legislation from the pre-Independence days and how after Independence, the laws enacted reflected the Directive Principles enshrined in the Constitution. It also deals with Labour Law Administration and the reforms proposed over the years.
The third article is by Somnath Ghosh and Navin T., Regional Coordinator, Institute for Livelihood Research and Training, Hyderabad, and it deals with the special laws that were enacted to take care of the informal and migrant workers and some sectoral laws like those for the Construction sector.
The fourth article by Heena Zuni Pandit, Research Associate, RGICS, and Navin T. deals with Understanding the New Labour Codes. We are indebted to PRS India, from which we have heavily borrowed.
The fifth article is by Vijay Mahajan and he asserts that the New Labour Codes are neither adequate nor appropriate and he suggests the way forward, highlighting the role of trade unions and civil society Institutions in correcting the shortcomings.
Mr. Vijay Nadkarni provided valuable critique of the initial draft of the papers. Rahul Singh, a post graduate student of Public Policy, National Law School University, Bangalore and Intern with RGICS, provided research support to all the authors.
Policy Watch: Special Issue – June 2021
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