A Normative Reassessment of the Positive Rights of Contract Labourers in India

Authors

  • Sanjana Mehta Student, O .P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India

Keywords:

Contract labour, minimum wages, human rights, workman, compensation

Abstract

With the advent of globalisation and liberalisation, contract labour has become a trending form of employment adopted by several industries. India is not new to the contract labour system. This paper analyses the difference between contract labour and general labour, issues, and problems of contract labourers in the industry, and how the judiciary has helped in promoting the rights of the contract labourers. In this paper, an attempt has been made to study and analyse the availability and corresponding implementation of the social security laws and constitutional rights in addition to the labour laws. To do so, the paper firstly reflects upon the existing national and international rights and benefits enshrined in the legislation, and then it examines the judicial role in the upliftment and protection of contract labourers. Finally, after analysing the problem of contract labourers, the paper suggests a way forward to better facilitate the benefits and rights provided under the law.

References

1. The Royal Commission on Labour Report, 21 (1931).

2. The Contract Labour Convention, 1998, article 4.

3. The Contract Labour Convention, 1998, article 5.

4. The Contract Labour Convention, 1998, article 8.

5. The Contract Labour Convention, 1998, article 7.

6. International Labour Standards . ISBN 92 -2-112668-4 <https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/ groups/ public/---ed_norm/---normes/documents/publication/wcms_087692.pdf>

7. http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/17session/A.HRC.17.31_en.pdf.

8. The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970, Section 2(1)(b).

9. The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970, Section 2(1)(c).

10. The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970, Section 2(1)(g).

11. Meenakshi Rajeev . Contract Labour Act in India: A Pragmatic View . Working Papers 175, Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore. 2006.

12. Universal Declaration of Human Rights (adopted 10 December 1948 UNGA Res 217 A(III) (UDHR).

13. [1977] Lab. IC 1037.

14. [1989] (ii) LLN p. 817.

15. The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970, Section 10.

16. Air India Statutory Corporation v Union of India, [1997] 95 SCC 377.

17. Ibid at 443.

18. [2001] 7 SCC 1.

19. Steel Authority of India Ltd. v National Union Waterfronts Workers, [2001] 7 SCC 1.

20. Srivastava Suresh C. Impact of the Supreme Court Decision on Contract Labour . 2001; 43:4 JSTOR, pp 531.

21. Sujit Kumar Biswas. Role of Judiciary in Bringing out Changes in Labour Jurisprudence . Indian JL & Just. 2014; 5: 62.

22. Standard Vacuum Refinery Company v Its Workmen. [1955] AIR 404; [1955] SCR (1)1427.

23. Bandhua Mukti Morcha v Union Of India & Others. [1984] AIR 802; [1984] SCR (2) 67.

24. Shivnandan Sharma v The Punjab National Bank Ltd. [1955] AIR 404; [1955] SCR (1)1427.

25. State of Punjab v Jagjit Singh. [2016] SCC OnLine SC 1200.

26. Ashis Das, Dhananjay Pandey. Contract Workers in India: Emerging Economic and Social Issues. Indian J Ind Relat. 2004; 40(2): 242–265.

27. 'Business News Today: Read Latest Business News, India Business News Live, Share Market & Economy News . The Economic Times' (The Economic Times, 2016 ). http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-08- 18/news/52942063/contract-labour-labour- laws-morgan- stanley.

28. Ethical Trading Initiative . A Review of Human Rights And Labour Law In India, With Specific Reference To Sandstone Mining And Processing Workers In Rajasthan . 2014. <https://www.ethicaltrade.org/sites/default/files/shared_resources/legal_review_- _natural_stone_india.pdf>

29. 'Decent Work . Advancing Social Justice, Promoting Decent Work. (International Labour Organisation) <https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/decent-work/lang--en/index.htm>

30. Baloy Bhattercharjee . Contract Labour and Human Rights . Int J Justice Leg Stud. 2016; 2(1) : 11–16.

Downloads

Published

2022-04-30