Women in the Workforce
How Kerala’s trade unions have failed women
Kerala is the bastion of left movements and organisations in India. But within them, women have had to wage fierce battles to be heard and represented. Viji and some of her colleagues approached trade unions in the city, seeking support for their demand for toilets – they also raised other demands, such as for better wages and the rights of workers to take breaks and sit down. The unions did not support them.
Labour Demands
CITU Condemns Centre’s Decision to Hand Over ‘Mini Ratna’ FSNL to Japanese Firm
New Delhi: The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has denounced the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government’s move to hand over Ferro Scrap Nigam Limited (FSNL), a ‘mini ratna’ designated Central public sector enterprise (CPSE) to Japanese firm, Konoike Transport, along with management control. FSNL is a 100% subsidiary of MSTC Limited. The decision paves the way for privatising the entire scrap handling business of the country exclusively to private players, said the trade union.
Employment News
Employment in manufacturing remains below 2010-11 levels
Data showed that the manufacturing sector employed nearly 33.7 million workers in 2023-24 period, compared to 34.9 million workers in 2010-11. However, the number of establishments in the sector increased to 20.14 million, compared to 17.2 million during the same time period.
News from States
A daring tale: State scripts welfare in an Odisha district
Daringbadi in Odisha's Kandhamal district is experiencing economic growth…thanks to remittances from migrant labourers, nearly 60% of whom work in Kerala, a recent study shows. It found that migration brings nearly Rs 35 crore to Daringbadi block annually as remittances.
In the Courts
Lack of a protective law exposes domestic workers to abuse, torture: SC
Anguished by the years of abuse an impoverished tribal woman from Chhattisgarh suffered as a domestic worker in the national capital and neighbouring cities, the Supreme Court on Wednesday (January 29, 2025) directed the Union government to work on bringing a law to protect this burgeoning but unorganised workforce from exploitation.
‘Fed up of Seeking Compliance’: SC Bans Manual Scavenging in 6 Metro Cities
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday (January 29) came down heavily on the Union government over ambiguity in eradication of manual scavenging in the country and passed an order banning the practice in six metropolitan cities.
Profiles
Sher Singh (1950-2025): A quiet labour rights revolutionary who touched many lives with joy
The activist and publisher of the scrappy ‘Faridabad Majdoor Samachar’ believed that workers could do things themselves – they didn’t need leaders or saviours.
Labour Reforms
High Level meeting discusses labour code rules, issues of gig workers
Setting the stage for the possible implementation of the four Labour Codes from April 1, a meeting of the officials and Ministers of the Union Labour Ministry and State Labour Ministries has reviewed the progress in drafting of rules under the Codes by the States.The meeting noted that over 18 States and Union Territories have implemented a majority of the reforms and more than 32 States/U.T.s have pre-published the draft rules.
Labour reforms needed to achieve Visit Bharat goals: Mandaviya
Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stressed the importance of labour reforms for achieving the vision of 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047 in a national conference. The focus is on balancing workers' welfare and industrial growth, implementing social security measures, and promoting employment generation and employability.
The Coaching Industry
India’s coaching institutes are having a meltdown. Teachers, students dropping out
Delhi’s coaching hubs of Karol Bagh, Mukherjee Nagar, and Rajendra Nagar have not recovered from the deaths of three UPSC aspirants who drowned in the basement library of their coaching institute in July 2024. Crackdowns by the authorities, concerns about overcrowded classrooms, lack of infrastructure, high fees, and even quality of tutors are seeing parents and aspirants rethink enrolment in brick-and-mortar coaching institutes that were once the mainstay of the Rs 3,000-crore coaching industry.
Policy Changes
Unified Pension Scheme notified for central govt employees: Check eligibility criteria, minimum guaranteed payout and other details
The Central Government has notified the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) as an option under the National Pension System (NPS) for Central Government employees. It aims to provide assured payouts and specific retirement benefits. Apart from basic pension these employees will also get dearness relief in line with the ones given to existing employees.
New GDP series to include data on informal sector
The ministry of statistics and programme implementation is exploring new data sources for estimating the informal sector within the revised GDP series, with a base year of 2022-23. Sectors such as agriculture, certain manufacturing, construction, and trade, among others, are identified for their significant informality. The initiative will consider data sources like GST and digital payments.
Forest Rights
Why the push by India’s tiger conservation body to relocate forest-dwellers is contentious
In June 2024 the National Tiger Conservation Authority sent a letter to 19 states, calling for the relocation of almost 65,000 families living inside critical tiger habitats across 53 tiger reserves on a “priority basis”. On January 10 this year a letter from the Union tribal affairs ministry to all states noted that under the Forest Rights Act, such communities could not be “evicted or removed from forest land they occupy until the process of recognition and verification of their rights is complete”.
Exporting Workers
Why Taiwan wants to hire workers from the Northeastern states under the new labour pact with India
Sources in Taiwan said Taipei has expressed a preference to hire these workers from India's northeastern states, citing cultural similarities and easy assimilation.
Govt looks to position India as manpower supplier to world
NEW DELHI: Skilling and job creation will be a major theme in the Budget as government seeks to fill a critical gap and and in the process boost income and demand in the economy.
India always open to legitimate return of undocumented Indians: Jaishankar
The External Affairs Minister discusses legal return of undocumented Indians from the U.S., emphasising support for legal mobility and notes that New Delhi is still in the process of verification
Tailpiece
Indian students in US quit part-time jobs over deportation fears
In the lead-up to President Trump's inauguration, several Indian students in the US engaged in odd jobs post college hours — to earn some extra bucks —have quit their work for fear of deportation. Speaking to TOI some of these students said that while such jobs are crucial to stay afloat in the US, they cannot risk their future especially given the hefty loans they have secured to land a seat at an American college.
Mobilising Workers
Samsung India workers win historic union registration after legal battle
After 38 days of protest and 212 days of legal battle, the Tamil Nadu Labour Department registered the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)-backed Samsung India Workers’ Union (SIWU) on January 27, marking a victory for the labour movement.
Election Issues
Delhi Elections: Why are Workers Angry?
Workers' issues, like minimum wages and social security, are almost missing from the election campaign. NewsClick team visits Wazirpur Industrial Area to understand the condition of workers who are angry that they are neither getting minimum wages nor any social security cover.
Delhi election: unfazed by high-profile visits, Valmiki Basti voters are looking out only for job opportunities
Ishwar Ujainwal, 66, a retired NDMC worker, said, “The Valmiki community in the Capital has managed to educate its children. But the problem of lack of jobs looms over us as private firms are unwilling to take members of our community and there are very few government jobs.”
Delhi Elections: 50,000 govt jobs, ₹10 lakh insurance cover for gig workers in BJP’s manifesto 3.0 released by Amit Shah
The saffron party will a establish welfare board for gig workers and provide ₹10 lakh life insurance and ₹5 lakh accidental insurance to these workers if it comes to power, Shah said.
AAP’s manifesto | From Rs 2,100 for women to employment for youth: Kejriwal's 15 guarantee for Delhi
The Delhi's ruling party has promised jobs, ₹2,100 cash scheme for women, Sanjeevani Yojana for senior citizens, ₹18,000 for Hindu and Sikh priests, waiving off incorrect water bills, if it comes back to power in Delhi, among others.