April 28 is observed as the World Safe Day for workers and also the Day against Elimination of Child labour by the International labour Organisation (IlO). The World labour Day on May 1 always reminds us of the historic struggles for the rights of working class and the move for standardisation of labour laws for safety and security of all kinds of workers of the world.
The IlO aims to achieve a safe and secure working environment for all workers by 2030 and abolition of all forms of child labour by 2015. India has been a signatory to major international conventions on labour and child and women labour, but the grim reality concerning the child labour scenario has not changed to the desired extent which needs to be discussed by the political parties, trade unions, activists and civil society groups.
It is observed that there has been no minimum employment guaranty throughout the year and social security measures are inadequate to meet a dignified basic living of a family in Odisha. The condition of the majority of landless rural workers family has been deteriorating and especially, women and children in family are vulnerable to the changing conditions in the State without hope of any radical change in the coming days.
The NREGS scheme is partially implemented with difficulties which have failed to provide minimum employment guaranty to the rural workers who have very limited options of employment opportunities for survival. The wage structure, working environment and operational procedures have not changed, from its continued corrupt practices, to a more transparent, accountable, and labour- friendly mechanism. This has shattered the hope of rural workers to avail employment within their locality. The growing aspiration among rural workers for a decent living by using the available employment opportunities locally is not fulfilled due to lack of employment planning of the Government at the local level.
The social security schemes such as housing, pension, maternity benefit, child care centers, healthcare facilities, and accidental benefits are not universal and adequate to fulfill the needs of the rural workers. The minimum wage they get for a few days of work is not sufficient even for the basic bare minimum needs. The non-food items such as household maintenance, fuel, cloth, education, health, sanitation, mobility and connectivity expenses are increasing in managing a family but the source of income and employment opportunities has not improved to match the growing needs. The poor families in rural areas just cannot survive alone with support of mere few kg subsidised rich per month. It may just help them to counter hunger death but certainly not assure a dignified life with growth. Many of the Government schemes for rural poor workers are being implemented as State charity and also being projected as most popular schemes with huge publicity. But in reality, these schemes are not helping much to the poor to make a living out of it or using this as an opportunity to sustain and grow. The scope of employment in rural agriculture sector is also reduced due to mechanisation of work, natural disaster, lack of irrigation and use of huge land for non-agricultural purpose, apart from many other reasons. This vulnerable situation of the rural workers pushes them to distress migration to urban locations and distant places as most insecure causal labourers.
Mostly the distress families in rural areas where the whole family members are some way engaged for survival have no safety and security of life. They are prone to all kinds of abuses and exploitations. A vast majority of rural workers, mostly from the marginalised social groups, remain illiterate and unskilled and face all kinds of social humiliations and physical exploitations in many forms. It’s not because there is no law but many of the protective laws are never implemented to protect the poor by the law enforcement agencies of the Government.
The harsh reality for survival is more predominant than the realisation of rights. The women workers and child workers are most unsafe and vulnerable. Most of the surveys have revealed that a vast majority of unskilled women workers and child labourers belong to families of landless rural workers.
The sexual harassment at work place, exploitation of women workers in the pretext of employment favour, trafficking of women and children and organ trade are increasing alarmingly without control. These socio–economic issues are in need of collective intervention rather than leaving them to the police administration to deal with.
A majority of the trade unions are very selectively unionising the workers without universal approach to the rights of all workers and specially the landless rural, causal workers. The international labour standards are selectively applied by Government. Social discrimination issues based on untouchability, caste, gender and ethnicity are very seldom discussed in the worker forums. The rural workers are more identified as different vested interest social groups, rather than a working class, which affects the unionisation and collective bargaining power.
While aspiring for safe and secure working environment for all workers, it is equally important to see the social discrimination issues among the workers and attempt must be made to make our work places discrimination free and socially inclusive.
The social environments in work places must be conducive to the women workers. The issues of women workers and child labourers are largely linked to our socio-economic environment and condition of the families and collective commitment of the Government for enforcement of protective laws without prejudice on any ground. Many of the existing legislations are powerful and effective but equally it is important to ensure they are properly implemented to fulfill their purposes.
The Government schemes for social security of all workers must be linked to sustainable growth and economic development beyond charity. The physical and mental development of workers, as part of human resources development agenda, with education, skill and political literacy for realisation of rights and entitlements must be ensured for a holistic development and for the best productive utilisation of available workforce in the State.