Labour Legislation
Introduction: The term `labour legislation’ is used to cover all the laws which have been enacted to deal with “employment and non-employment” wages, working conditions, industrial relations, social security and welfare of persons employed in industries.
Need for labour legislation in India: Organized industry in a planned economy calls for the spirit of co-operation and mutual dependence for attaining the common purpose of greater, better and cheaper production. Since this has not been happening voluntarily, the need for State intervention. In India, labour legislation is treated as an arm of the State for the regulation of working and living conditions of workers. The need for labour legislation may be summarized as under: o Necessary for the health, safety, and welfare of workers; o Necessary to protect workers against oppressive terms as individual worker is economically weak and has little bargaining power; o To encourage and facilitate the workers in the organization; o To deal with industrial disputes; o To enforce social insurance and labour welfare schemes.
Objectives: The objectives of labour legislations are two-fold: o Preservation of the health, safety and welfare of workers; and o Maintenance of good relations between employers and employees.
Principles of labour legislation: Social Justice: o The essence of democracy is ensuring social justice to all sections of the community. o This demands the protection of those who cannot protect themselves. o In modern industrial set-up, workers, left to themselves, are unable to protect their interest. o Therefore, the State has to intervene to help them by granting them freedom of association, the power of collective bargaining and by providing for mediation or arbitration in the case of industrial conflict. Social Equity: o Legislation based on this principle provides for achievement of definite standards. Standards in terms of living, position in society etc. of the
Need for labour legislation in India: Organized industry in a planned economy calls for the spirit of co-operation and mutual dependence for attaining the common purpose of greater, better and cheaper production. Since this has not been happening voluntarily, the need for State intervention. In India, labour legislation is treated as an arm of the State for the regulation of working and living conditions of workers. The need for labour legislation may be summarized as under: o Necessary for the health, safety, and welfare of workers; o Necessary to protect workers against oppressive terms as individual worker is economically weak and has little bargaining power; o To encourage and facilitate the workers in the organization; o To deal with industrial disputes; o To enforce social insurance and labour welfare schemes.
Objectives: The objectives of labour legislations are two-fold: o Preservation of the health, safety and welfare of workers; and o Maintenance of good relations between employers and employees.
Principles of labour legislation: Social Justice: o The essence of democracy is ensuring social justice to all sections of the community. o This demands the protection of those who cannot protect themselves. o In modern industrial set-up, workers, left to themselves, are unable to protect their interest. o Therefore, the State has to intervene to help them by granting them freedom of association, the power of collective bargaining and by providing for mediation or arbitration in the case of industrial conflict. Social Equity: o Legislation based on this principle provides for achievement of definite standards. Standards in terms of living, position in society etc. of the