Caste in Employment
Employees call off strike as govt agrees to incorporate OPS benefits in new pension scheme
Maharashtra Government likely to increase its contribution from 14 per cent to 20 per cent in NPS
The old pension scheme as a burden on the poor
In consonance with the spirit of the National Pension System (NPS), the Sixth Pay Commission had substantially increased the basic salary of government employees to cover pension contributions and promote savings for post-retirement expenses. The basic monthly salary of a Class 4 employee (Seventh pay norm) is ₹25,000. The World Inequality Report 2022 estimated the average monthly income of the bottom 50% of the population to be ₹4,468, whereas it is ₹14,669.7 for the middle 40% (sixth ninth decile). The salary of a government employee is higher than the income of more than 90% of the population. Thus, the OPS acts as a regressive redistribution mechanism favouring a better-off class.
Old Pension Scheme: In Rajya Sabha, PM Modi says states shouldn't be toying with future of children
In a possible mention of the Old Pension Scheme, which has been readopted by some of the states recently, PM Modi said political parties should be thoughtful about its steps and shouldn't be toying with the future of the country's children. He said the states should be financially disciplined… the governments of five states -- Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh -- have informed the Centre about their decision to revert to the old pension scheme.
Women in the Workforce
With hard hats and shovels women break the rock ceiling
Women coal mine workers of Bengal and Jharkhand are breaching the male bastion
Gender Wage gap: Women are Paid Much Less Than Men in Rural and Urban India, Shows NSO Survey
Nationally, the average rural wage for men is Rs 393/day whereas a woman worker's wage is Rs 265/day.
What Do We Miss on Women’s Employment in Survey Data?
Women’s participation in work turns out to be much higher than usually estimated when modifications are made to the questions asked in surveys, the time period covered and, most important, who is asked (man/woman) about work. A report from one survey.
In the Courts
HC strikes down 100% quota rule for women staff in nursing colleges
The court has also quashed Note-2 prescribed in Schedule III of the Chhattisgarh Medical Education (Gazetted) Service Recruitment Rules, 2013, which made only female candidates eligible for direct recruitment to these posts.
Poor Line Mazdoor Dismissed From Service For Prolonged Absence, Supreme Court Invokes Article 142 To Impose A Lesser Penalty
Supreme Court Orders Payment Of Rs. 650 Crores To Workers Of 25 Tea Gardens In Assam
The Supreme Court, on February 7 directed the payment of about Rs. 650 crores towards dues of 28,556 workers of 25 tea gardens in the state of Assam. These include 15 gardens owned by the Assam Government owned Assam Tea Company Limited (ATCL).
Layoffs and Hirings
Salaried employment rises in Gujarat
There has been an extraordinary improvement in employment in Gujarat in the past year. Gujarat recorded its highest ever employment of 26.7 million during September-December 2022. In comparison, employment in September-December 2021 was 25.9 million. This increase in employment in Gujarat can broadly be characterised as an increase in salaried employment. Also, there is a noticeable shift from farming to other occupations like salaried employment, small traders and wage labourers, and self-employment.
Profiles
Garbage loader by night, scholar by day: His journey from Mumbai chawl to UK for PhD
The Motor Loader Chowki at Bandra — a dark, grimy room with rusty lockers, a framed B&W photograph of B R Ambedkar and plaster peeling off its pink walls — was where Mayur Helia reported for work at 10 every night. Here, he would mark his attendance, before setting off with his colleagues in one of the designated garbage trucks.
When work and life is a balance on two wheels
Scores of young and old women travel on a bicycle from Tughlaqabad to Chittaranjan Park daily for work. Lipi Haldar’s death underscores the risk-filled lives of the many wo men domestic workers in the area who cycle many kilometres every day to their workplaces.
Labour Laws
BJP Government in Karnataka Changed Labour Laws After Foreign Firm’s Lobbying: Report
New Delhi: Lobbying by Taiwanese firm Foxconn, that manufactures Apple phones, led to major changes in labour laws by the BJP state government in Karnataka, reports Financial Times. Successful lobbying by the foreign firm means two-shift production can take place in the state, similar to the firm’s practices in China, its main manufacturing base. There was no mention if any labour groups or trade unions were consulted before making these changes.
Worker-employer compact
Shaik Salauddin’s dreams for gig economy workers
“This is not a small fight,” he said. “It’s a very long fight with many small successes along the way.” The Rajasthan government’s move is a big win. Other victories have included pushing companies to pay drivers within 24 hours, against the previous one week; allowing drivers access to information about their customer’s destination; and making the panic button more effective by moving it to a phone app in Hyderabad.
Workers Battle Govt App
No thaw yet in central job scheme cash freeze
The Centre is unlikely to release funds under the 100-days job scheme for Bengal in the initial months of 2023-24 financial year as it is yet to withdraw Section 27 of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005, based on which funds were frozen for 2022-23 for Bengal under the scheme.
Parliamentary panel expresses concern over drastic cut in MGNREGS budget
It questions the government’s rationale behind the reduction in the allocation for the scheme considering the key role it plays for the distressed populace of the country. The Budget Estimate for the MGNREGS was reduced by ₹29,400 crore for the 2023-24 fiscal year compared with the Revised Estimate of 2022-23.
States must pay part of MGNREGS wages says Union minister
About 57% of the active workers under MGNREGS will be excluded by the Centre’s latest order making it mandatory for wages to be paid via Aadhaar-based accounts only.
Budget maintained fiscal balance, says CEA V Anantha Nageswaran
One of the reasons why allocation for MGNREGS was lowered is because there is a much larger substantive increase in allocation in particularly PMAY (rural) and Jal Jeevan Yojana. "...so the expectation is that the rural workers would be able to find jobs in these projects," CEA V Anantha Nageswaran said.