PROBLEMS OF UNORGANIZED LABOUR

DEFINITION AS PER NCL

The

term unorganised labour has been defined as those workers who have not been able to organise themselves in pursuit of their common interests due to certain constraints like casual nature of employment, ignorance and illiteracy, small and scattered size of establishments, etc.

EXTENT OF UNORGANISED LABOUR

classified workers in this country into two distinct categories as main workers and marginal workers. The main workers are those workers who work for the major part of the year (296 days) and marginal workers are those who work for less that 6 months (183 days). Out of a total work force of 314 million in India, about 286 million (i.e. about 91%) were main workers and about 28 million (i.e.9%) were marginal workers. The data of the Census of India also shows that the bulk of the working population is in the unorganised sector (i.e. 91% of the total population) and this workforce is as yet not actively unionised.

CATEGORIES OF UNORGANISED LABOUR

1. In terms of occupation Small and marginal farmers, landless agricultural labourers,, fishermen, those engaged in animal husbandry, in beedi rolling, beedi labelling and beedi packing, building and other construction workers, leather workers, weavers, artisans, salt workers, workers in brick furnace and stone mine , workers in saw mills, oil mills etc. may come in this category.

2.

In terms of nature of employment Attached agricultural labourers, bonded labourers, migrant workers, contract and casual labourers come under this category. 3. In terms of specially distressed categories Toddy tapers, carriers of head loads, drivers of animal driven vehicles, loaders and unloaders, belong to this category. 4. In terms of service categories Midwives, domestic workers, fishermen and women, barbers, vegetable and fruit vendors, newspaper vendors etc. come under this category.

LEGISLATIVE PROTECTION
Minimum

Wages Act, 1948. Workmens Compensation Act, 1923. Maternity Benefit Act,1961 The Employees State Insurance Act, 1948. Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976. Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970. Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979.

PROBLEMS IN FORMING TRADE UNION IN UNORGANIZED SECTOR

1.Wage structure: as per minimum wages Act. 2.Job security: due to insecurity failure to concentrate on TU. 3.Loss of Identity: due to lack of structure 4.Leadership problem: due to lack of security, poor earning, no encouragement for leadership.

5.Poor coordination 6. Poor communication 7. Poor economic Condition 8. Literacy problem 9. Trade unions approach: 10. Relation with employers: 11.Uncertainity of workers. 12. Unsafe working conditions

13. Unhygienic working conditions 14. Welfare conditions 15. Non implementation of labour laws 16. Unfair labour practices. 17.Recognition of union 18.Multiplicity of union.