Employment News
Salaried workers' real wages dropped between 2012 and 2022: ILO study
The average real monthly wage of a regular wage worker has dipped to Rs 10,925 in 2022 from Rs 12,100 in 2012, as calculated by the ILO using official government data. Wages in urban areas have decreased faster than in rural areas to Rs 12,616 in 2022 from Rs 13,616 in 2012, compared to Rs 8,623 in rural areas from Rs 8,966 over the same period, according to the India Employment Report 2024 released last month. (see link for complete visual)
Not working out: New report shows jobs crisis is the No 1 economic challenge; You wouldn’t know it from election rhetoric
India’s economic growth in the first three quarters of 2023-24 exceeded 8%, well above most optimistic projections. A Lokniti-CSDS survey of youth in Delhi, however, indicates that headlines miss something. Eighty percent of the respondents said getting a job in the last two years was either difficult or very difficult. Growth’s not translating into adequate opportunity for youth.
Why Government Claim of 52 Million New Formal Jobs in Past Four Years Is Misleading
The government has been using Employee Provident Fund Organization data to suggest that new jobs are being created without realising there are inherent fallacies in using such data to arrive at such a conclusion.
ILO reaffirms what we all knew: Indians are crazy about government jobs.
Why, 30+ years after reforms and in the world's fastest growing economy, is a sarkari naukri so coveted? The ILO report on Employment in India 2024, says it is because most non-govt jobs were unattractive and two, govt jobs offered what most private sector jobs didn’t. Regular private sector jobs with monthly salaries & benefits like paid leave are scarce.
Wrong to assume government can solve unemployment, says chief economic advisor
Former Union finance minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram described V Anantha Nageswaran’s comments as the ‘most startling confession’.
Dying at Work
Desperate For Work, Impoverished Adivasis From Prosperous Kerala Toil & Die In India’s Coffee Heartland
Sreedharan was one of 14 Adivasis from Wayanad who lost their lives in Kodagu plantations between 2019-2023, their deaths revealing precarious lives in what is one of India’s most prosperous states. In interviews with Article 14, many families spoke of their despair, many after years, and their scepticism of the police.
In the Courts
You’re incompetent to the core: Delhi HC slams MCD over delayed employee dues
While hearing a batch of pleas over delayed payment of salaries and pension by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to its employees, and the failure to pay the arrears of the 7th Central Pay Commission, the Delhi High Court on Thursday said that it shall hear the matter on a “day-to-day basis” from April 8, while observing that the civic body’s condition is “precarious”.
Supreme Court slaps ₹10 lakh costs on Rajasthan for dragging on dispute with poor labourer for 22 years
The Court noted that the poor, part-time labourer had been given a labour court award way back in 2001, but continued to be dragged into litigation because of the State's refusal to implement the award.
Major relief for Goa Industrial Development Corporation workers, Bombay High Court orders payment according to 7th Pay Commission
PANAJI The Bombay High Court at Goa has ordered the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) to pay its employees and pensioners salaries as per the scale recommended by the 7th Pay Commission, and implement its own resolution to that effect.
Amazon drivers are workers, Wisconsin Supreme Court rules in closely-watched case
The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Tuesday let stand a lower court ruling that declared some delivery drivers for Amazon were employees as the state argued, not independent contractors as the online retail giant contended.The court, in a unanimous decision, said the appeal was “improvidently granted,” meaning the Supreme Court should not have reviewed the case.
Women in the Workforce
Why Tamil Nadu’s women make up nearly half of India’s female factory workforce
With an educated & skilled workforce, Tamil Nadu has a burgeoning industrial sector which has scored massive investments in automobiles, electronics, and even footwear.
News from States
Professors, principals, civil servants — 57 sacked in 2 years for ‘supporting militancy’ in J&K
Most sacked from education department — 13 from schools & 8 from universities. DSP-rank officers among 11 fired from J&K Police, 3 senior doctors among 6 fired from health services.
First batch of 64 Indian workers from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh leave for Israel
The recruitment process in India sped up after Israel banned Palestinian workers following October 7 attacks; safety, ethical concerns raised by workers’ groups; no clarity on whether workers will be posted in conflict zones.
Media Workers
At Zee, over 70 layoffs in a day and ‘cost-cutting’ amid a financial crisis
There had been signs of turmoil with the exit of prominent faces such as Deepak Chaurasia. According to many of those who were made to resign, the management pointed to “cost-cutting” to alleviate the financial pinch at the network as a reason.
Photojournalists covering AAP protest face police’s wrath
Photojournalists covering the Aam Aadmi Party protests were harassed by the Delhi Police on March 26. The matter escalated between members of the press and police forces as photojournalists were attempting to click pictures of AAP leaders protesting Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest.
Layoffs and Hirings
GM close to India exit; Talegaon workers accept severance package
US auto major General Motors (GM) is close to exiting its Indian operations, as the majority of employees at its Talegaon unit near Pune have now accepted the severance package. After nearly 40 months of standoff between workers and GM India, local authorities and the Maharashtra government intervened to facilitate a smooth transition. The controversy-ridden plant is now slated for closure, with Hyundai poised to take over the operations soon.
Paytm employees stare at 'voluntary resignations', firm denies layoff buzz
One97 Communications (OCL), the company that operates the Paytm brand, is asking its employees to resign, citing restructuring in the organisation, people in the know said. While the number of employees affected could not be ascertained, sources in the know said in some departments the impact was almost 50 per cent of the headcount. Some affected business units include the telco unit, marketing, and Paytm Payments Bank.
Byju’s Fires 500 Staffers, Nearly half from its tuition centre biz
Troubled edtech Byju's has laid off about 500 staffers, largely across sales and marketing functions, at a time when it is struggling to raise capital for day-to-day operations, as per sources familiar with the development.
Apple ecosystem becomes biggest blue-collar job creator in India! 1.5 lakh direct jobs created since PLI scheme
Since the PLI scheme's launch in August 2021, the Apple ecosystem has become a major job creator in India, employing over 150,000 individuals directly and supporting an additional 300,000 jobs indirectly. Apple's strategic focus on India... has intensified amidst global tensions and market challenges in the US and China.
Biggies like Google, Amazon & Microsoft paying undergrads Rs 1 lakh stipends for internships
At IIT Mandi, 27 students have received Rs 1-lakh-or-more stipends this year. In Bengaluru, RV College of Engineering has seen 39 students earning over Rs 1 lakh in monthly stipends compared to 8 last year. Vellore Institute of Technology also reports approximately 30 students with Rs 1-lakh stipends, with companies like Couchbase and Amazon offering Rs 1.2 lakh and Rs 1.1 lakh, respectively.
Hiring woes: 30% students across IITs yet to be placed
Indian Institutes of Technology started new placements in Jan with some students remaining unplaced. Hiring pace slower than last year, leading to an extended placement period. Various IITs are intensifying efforts to secure job opportunities for their students.
IT sector hiring outlook: What analysis of data on Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL suggests
Top IT services companies are seeing a positive trend with a surge in active hiring after 20 months. Despite this, there there is a quarter-on-quarter decline in collective gross hiring. Industry experts stress the importance of bench strength, automation and targeted hiring in specialized areas like AI.
Labour Rights
INVESTIGATION: The Palestinian Struggle for Labor Rights in Israel
We talked to Palestinian workers whose underpaid labor provides part of Israel’s low-cost workforce. Their stories of organizing amid ethnic cleansing shed light on how this work is a crucial lifeline for Palestinians — now severed by the devastation of war.