Labour
welfare work is generally undertaken by four main agencies viz., (a) The
employers (b) The workers’ organisation (c) the Central
Government (d) the State Government.
A brief mention of these agencies is made as follows:
(a) Employer’s role in welfare work:
Employer
is in direct contact with the employees. His role is pivotal in providing
welfare facilities to the employees over and above what is laid down by law.
There is no denying the fact that some of the leading industrialists in India
are pioneers in providing welfare amenities to their employees. Some of these
employers in this regard are the Mafatlals, J.K. Group.. Godrej, Larsen and
Turbo, Pfizzer, Voltas, Philips, Bajaj, Tisco & Telco etc. They have felt
the necessity of welfare work and its importance in the interest of the
industry and the workers. Various welfare amenities provided by the employers
to the employees include educational facilities, medical facilities, creches,
transport facilities, recreational facilities, gift on the marriage of
children, housing facilities and consumer co-operative societies etc.
The
dimensions of welfare work undertaken by the employers are diverse in nature on
account of different conditions from industry to industry and from unit to unit
in the same industry.
(b) Labour welfare work by workers’ associations:
This
includes the welfare activities provided by the unions for the benefit of their
members out of their own funds. Various trade unions have done commendable work
in the field of labour welfare. The welfare activities undertaken by the
Ahmedabad Textile Labour Association are worth mentioning.
The
association has to its credit 25 cultural and social centres spread over the
labour intensive areas of the city of Ahmedabad. It provides welfare facilities
for the workers in respect of schools, libraries, dispensaries and maternity
homes, co-operative societies, training in the trade union principles, and
free-legal aid etc.
The Mill
Majdoor Union, Indore has set up various labour welfare centres to provide
recreational and other amenities to its members. It also provides educational
facilities and games to the children of the employees.
Night
classes, reading rooms, facilities of indoor and outdoor games are also
provided to the employees. For the welfare of women employees, educational
facilities and crafts, stitching etc., are also provided.
Similar
other associations like, The Majdoor Sabha, Kanpur, the Rastriya Mill Majdoor
Sangh, Bombay and the Textile Labour Association etc, are also offering many
facilities for considerable improvements in the well being of the workers and
their families.
(c) Labour Welfare Work By Central Government:
Not much
contribution could be made by the Central Government in the field of labour
welfare prior to the Second World War. The Government started taking interest
in the field of labour welfare during the Second World War. It extended the
schemes of labour welfare in ordinance and ammunition factories.
A labour
welfare advisor was appointed in 1942 for promoting the labour welfare work. A
labour welfare fund was constituted in the year 1946 for financing the labour
welfare measures outside the purview of statutory provisions in public sector
undertakings.
The
Government of India favoured the idea of ‘welfare state’. The government passed
certain Acts, viz. Factories Act, 1948, the Coal Mines Labour Welfare Fund Act,
1947, the Iron Ore Mines Welfare Cess Act, 1961 and the Limestone and Dolomite
Mines Labour Welfare Act, 1972, etc., are important Acts, covering the welfare
of the workers.
Welfare
funds have been created for the workers engaged in coal, iron, orelime stone
and delomit mines. These funds are created by (a) the levy of cess in the coke
and coal despatches from the colleries (b) an ad velorem cess on the export of
mica, (c) a cess is levied on the production in iron-ore mining industries (d)
a cess is levied on lime stone and delomit consumed by iron and Steel Mills,
Cement and other factories.
(d) Labour Welfare Work by State Governments:
Various
State Governments and Union Territories have established different welfare
centres which are providing educational, health, recreational and other
facilities to the workers. Different cultural activities, games, sports,
training in handicrafts, library, gymnasium and tailoring classes for women
workers are being provided by different State Governments.
The State
Governments have passed Labour Welfare Funds Acts from time to time to safeguard
the interests of the workers and their families. Some of the important Acts
passed by the State Governments are the Bombay Labour Welfare Fund Act (1953);
the Mysore Labour Welfare Fund Act (1965) etc. The main sources of finances for
these funds are (i) fines realised from the employees, (ii) unpaid wages,
bonus, gratuity and all unpaid arrears, (iii) fines imposed on the employers by
courts for defaults; (iv) Voluntary donations, (v) any fund transferred from
any other labour welfare fund; (vi) all grants from the Central/State
Governments; (vii) unclaimed and forfeited sums in Provident Fund Accounts and
(viii) Any sum borrowed, etc. In addition to what has been explained above in
respect of labour in India, a large number of voluntary social organisations
have taken welfare activities in respect of night-schools, libraries,
recreation health etc.
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