Battles Won
United Auto Workers union hails strike-ending deals with automakers that would raise top assembly-plant hourly pay to more than $40 as ‘record contracts’
The United Auto Workers union agreed on a tentative new contract with General Motors on Oct. 30, 2023, days after landing similar deals with Ford Motor Co. on Oct. 25 and Stellantis, the global automaker that makes Chrysler, Dodge and Ram vehicles in North America, on Oct. 28. The pending agreements have halted the industry’s longest strike in 25 years. According to the union’s own announcements, Ford’s tentative labor agreement includes a 25% wage increase over the next 4½ years, as well as the restoration of a cost-of-living allowance the UAW lost in 2009. In addition, the tentative agreements also will convert many temporary workers to full-time status, higher pay for temps, the right to go on strike over plant closures and significant increases in contributions to retirement plans.
Women in the Workforce
Women-led startups rise to 18% in past five years: Report
India had roughly 6,000 startups in 2017 of which 10% were led by female founders, and by 2022, it increased to 80,000 and the share of women-led startups rose to 18%. The WISER report on Women's in India's Startup Ecosystem comprises the participation of more than 200 startups including Urban Company, Meesho, Zomato, etc. The report underscored the rise of women in charge of startups in contrast to corporate firms. Startups are currently faring better than traditional enterprises, with 32% of women in managerial positions as against 21% in corporates.
In India, women struggle with pay gap across sectors
Though Goldin’s research is about the gender pay gap in the US, the same holds true for India, too, across sectors. This conclusion is based on Businessline’s analysis of the agri wages in the country, the Periodic Labour Force Survey, and the CFA Institute’s gender pay gap report. Our analysis also shows that women engaged in agriculture and in the salaried class make almost 20 per cent lesser than men. At the same time, pay gaps are wider as women move up the career ladder.
In the Courts
'Ensure Manual Sewer Cleaning Is Completely Eradicated' : Read 14 Directions Issued By Supreme Court Against Manual Scavenging
The Court directed that the process of manual cleaning of sewers is completely eradicated and to ensure that no individual has to manually enter sewers for any purpose.
Employer Cannot 'Hire And Fire' Even If Employee Is Accused Of Misconduct Sans Fair Opportunity Of Hearing: Rajasthan High Court.
The Rajasthan High Court recently set aside an order issued by the State Government that dismissed a Physical Education Teacher (PET) from service allegedly for furnishing a forged sports certificate for getting appointment, on the ground that the said teacher was not given any notice of charge-sheet and there was no enquiry conducted against him.
Tailpiece
An Odisha cop is turning low-income Army aspirants’ dreams into reality—free of cost
Rajesh Kumar Sahu, a havaldar in the Odisha Special Armed Police wants to even the playing field for a new generation of low-income Army aspirants. He is their pathfinder, trainer, and counsellor.
Dying at Work
Migrant worker shot dead by terrorists in Pulwama
A migrant labourer, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, was shot dead by unidentified terrorists in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday. This is the third such attack in Jammu and Kashmir this year.
Head constable shot dead by terrorists in Baramulla
A police head constable was shot dead by terrorists near his house in North Kashmir’s Tangmarg area in Baramulla district on Tuesday, a third such attack in the last three days and the second on a cop.
The Gig Economy
Only Three E-Commerce Platforms In India Have Minimum Wage Policy For Gig Workers: Study
New Delhi, Nov 1 (KNN) Only three e-commerce platforms in India have a minimum wage policy to ensure all gig workers earn at least hourly local minimum wage after factoring in work-related costs, according to a study conducted by Fairwork India. The Fairwork India’s fifth annual study conducted across 12 e-commerce platforms showed that only Bigbasket, Flipkart, and Urban Company had a minimum wage policy. This year, the study’s theme is worker alienation. The study has examined how working conditions lead to alienation, which is intertwined with discrimination workers face due to caste, class, gender, and religion, reported The Hindu citing the report.
Providing Jobs
Appointment letters issued to 185 recruits at Rozgar Mela in Mysuru
The 10th edition of the Centre’s Rozgar Mela was held in Mysuru and 36 other cities and towns across the country on Saturday in which over 51100 recruits received appointment letters for various Central Government jobs.
PM issues 51k job letters, says 'focus is on traditional sectors'
The Centre is not only strengthening employment in traditional sectors but also in new ones such as renewable energy, space, defence and automation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday while addressing the National Rozgar Mela via videoconferencing. Modi distributed more than 51,000 appointment letters to new recruits in government departments and organisations.
Jammu Over 300 youths given appointment letters as part of ‘Rozgar Mela’
Union Minister B L Verma on Saturday distributed 314 job appointment letters to the youth here as part of the government's 'Rozgar Mela' initiative, an official said. Hosted at 37 locations across the country, the Rozgar Mela represents a significant stride toward realising the ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision, fortifying youth empowerment, the official said. Verma, the minister of state for cooperation and development of northeast region, handed over the appointment letters in various departments at a function organised at the Gulshan Ground in Jammu.
Bihar Emerges as a Template to Counter Hindutva Narrative
Now, the Bihar government is scheduled to showcase its success in providing jobs at an event in Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on November 2. Nitish, his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, Bihar education minister Chandra Shekhar and other ministers will give appointment letters to 1.2 lakh teachers recruited through the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC)’s examinations.
WorkersConnect Radio
Mid-day meal workers embark on strike, demanding payment of wages
- उत्तर प्रदेश में मध्याह्न भोजन रसोइयों ने बकाया वेतन के तत्काल भुगतान को ले कर किया बड़ा प्रदर्शन
- महाराष्ट्र में हज़ारों ठेका स्वास्थ्यकर्मी रेगुलर नौकरी के लिए राज्यव्यापी अनिश्चितकालीन हड़ताल पर
- हरियाणा के गुरूग्राम में बेलसोनिका एम्पलाईज़ यूनियन ने प्रदर्शन कर पंजीकरण रद्द किए जाने के ख़िलाफ़ अपनी लड़ाई को किया तेज़
- बांग्लादेश में न्यूनतम वेतन विरोधी आंदोलन तेज़, पुलिस फायरिंग में 1 मज़दूर की मौत
- कनाडा में वाहन निर्माता कंपनी स्टेलॉटिस में रंग लाया मज़दूरों का संघर्ष, कंपनी और मज़दूर यूनियन यूनिफॉर के बीच वेतन वार्ता सम्पन्न.
Trafficked Workers
CRIME FILE - Human Trafficking, The Real Story
A blood-curdling story of three Indian youths recruited by human traffickers in Thailand and transported to Myanmar by cybercrime gangs. In Southeast Asia, they worked as hackers and scammers in fraud factories. They were subjected to brutal physical torture and witnessed horrific acts of violence against fellow workers. Several times, they were tortured to the point of death. In taking secret videos and bringing them to the authorities, they became heroes. Their actions resulted in the rescue of more than 2,000 Indians. They continue to fight legal battles against human traffickers in India.