A May Day Again! 

Every year, the first day of May gains traction for International Labour Day or International Workers’ Day, or May Day. It reminds us to honour workers’ contributions and their struggle for rights. Though the date and the way of celebration are different in different states, the fundamental essence is the same- labour respect and solidarity. From the commemoration of the Haymarket Affair to public holidays with rallies, campaigns, marches, and discussions, May Day has evolved into a full-grown solidarity event. In India, the first Labour Day was celebrated in 1923, and it has been celebrated since then. Now, it also coincides with Maharashtra and Gujarat Day (marking their formation in 1960). Despite so many events, initiatives, and celebrations, a question remains alive every year- Does the shifting labour dynamics favour the labour movement?

Before answering this question, let’s understand what labour means. In this article, labour refers to the work done in exchange for pay or profit. In other words, the work must have some monetary worth. It includes all forms of employment, whether traditional, professional, formal, informal, blue-collar job, white collar work, or any other type of job. Thus, a worker/ labourer does labour. Therefore, every peon, clerk, superintendent, teacher, scientist, etc., is a worker.

Having Some Rights is also a Right.

Every worker has some rights. It is not only about fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India or social and economic rights enshrined in the Directive Principles of State Policy. It is about the hard-earned statutory rights like equal pay for equal work, safety, etc., that mark the success of the protracted workers’ movement. In India, many statutes give specific rights to workers, such as the Minimum Wages Act, 1948; Factories Act, 1948; Mines Act, 1952; the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958; the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976; the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, etc.

Despite so many acts, workers still clamour for rights. Are these rights not enough for them? Does there exist an exhaustive list of rights? Is there any end to the demand for rights? Or the execution and protection of the already given rights unsatisfactory? There seems to be lacunae in execution when we hear news such as “X committed suicide due to unbearable pressure of work”, “Y suffers from multiple ailments including sleep disorders due to the burden of work”, “Z faces difficulty in having a work-life balance” and other similar reports related to work-life balance, work ethics and demand, work from home and exhaust etc. But some other terms are also in vogue these days, such as work displacement, automation fear, skill upgradation requirement, etc.

Fear for the Future Hampering the Present

It is certain that with a large, growing population and workforce, employment generation needs to keep pace with the growth of labour labor-ready population to avoid an unemployment crisis. The latest Economic Survey emphasizes that India would have to create an average of 78.5 lakh jobs annually in the non-farm sector by 2030 to cater to the rising workforce. But the growth in research and development of Artificial Intelligence has created fear among workers about prospective replacement with AI models, and this fear about the future is changing labour dynamics at present in the form of - work displacement: inter-sectoral and intra-sectoral,  changing set of skill demands: overemphasized demand for AI, new composition of employment structure: as fear of being unemployed triggers FOMO and migration,  ever-increasing cutoff marks, as overqualified people are appearing for the exams in this era of jobless growth. 

Though AI and technological advancement may take the job of repetitive and less complex work due to cost and time efficient mathematical calculations, their labour augmenting potential lie in creating auxiliary tasks and ultimately generating employment with increased productivity in areas where there exist unmet demands. This article is not about AI versus Labour. It is about a gradually emerging trend i.e., de-labourisation.

De-labourisation: Different Facets, Different Implications 

De-labourisation has many facets at present. Firstly, it is seen in the process of reducing reliance on human labour due to technological advancement. This aspect of de-labourisation is not a new one. We have seen this during the era of mechanization, industrialization, revolution in telecommunication, etc. When machines were introduced, people criticized their introduction in the United States, which had enough hands to do the job. But now, it has become a new normal. The same thing happened when computers and advanced modes of telecommunication were introduced. But now, we enjoy working in call centers, data centers, and global capability centers.

Secondly, it is seen in shifting labour dynamics, when one sector faces outflow and the other sector encounters an inflow of workers in large numbers. It may be due to some kind of revolution in technology, or a push given by the government, or other factors like perception, etc. The casualization of the workforce is included in this aspect of de-labourisation. It also includes race for jobs undertaken by overqualified candidates and consequent high cutoff and low morale of workforce.

Thirdly, it is seen in shift of labour rights with respect to their participation and ownership in their working enterprises. Deregulation and gig economy fall in this sector. There was a time when, workers would struggle to express their grievances, form union or association and enjoy social safety net. Today, many of these problems have been solved in paper. It is the time to give effective teeth to the written letters.

Coming back to the question whether the shifting labour dynamics favours the labour movement, I would say it depends on the strength of enabling, insuring and stewarding institutions and the solidarity of workers. Many changes are waiting ahead. If institutions and the fraternity are strong, India will sail through all challenges with ease and will be able to transform any type of crisis into a catalyst. 

Pledge for the Present and the Future of Workers 

This Labour Day, being a member of the workforce, let’s take a pledge that–

• We will respect the rights of every worker.
• We will endeavour to fulfil our duties (towards self, co-worker, society, and state) with utmost sincerity;
• For this, we will remain vigilant, well-informed about rights, duties, procedures, past events, initiatives and lessons, current struggles, movements, and impact;
• We will not tolerate any form of exploitation.
• We will take productive breaks.
• We will stand for our co-workers in need;
• We will take lawful steps to protest against any exploitation, harm, or injustice;
• We will hone and upgrade our skills;
• We will welcome advancement with caution, and
• In crisis, we will reverse de-labourisation and transform it into a catalyst.

Let’s honour the backbone of our society by honing the backbone of their rights! May your May Day ignite the hidden spark in you, uplift your health, and transform your mood! 

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