abhishreshthaa
Abhijeet S
Inter-regional variations
Certain states in India like Kerala and West Bengal have stronger trade unions and great worker mobilization against the privatization issue because of their Communist background. Basically, one can observe inter-regional variations in the participation and mobilization capacity of the trade unions.
In the northern region, there has been a mix of industrial growth and stagnancy. Workers displaced from “sick” units were absorbed by the informal sector, with losses in wages and working conditions.
Labor unrest was not very significant during the period from 1993-94. There was sporadic participation by workers in one-day strikes to protest economic reform policies.
In the eastern region, the Communist-Marxist government of West Bengal is well-known for its labor militancy because the region remains economically depressed with high unemployment levels, stagnant investment and has numerous unproductive “sick” plants.
Politically inspired one-day “bandhs” occur sporadically to protest against the economic reforms of the National government. The industry that has a long, troubled history with labor unrest is the jute industry.
The jute industry has been characterized by low profitability, antiquated equipment, and sporadic production and prolonged withholding of workers’ wages.
In the western region, there is industrial growth and increase in job creation. There is very little labor unrest because of the anti-strike stance of the Maharashtra government and increasing awareness on the part of both employers and workers to maintain competitiveness in a liberalizing economy. However, workers in the state-owned banks, led by leftist unions
were prominent in token strikes and demonstrations against economic reform policies. In general, the leftist unions were in decline throughout the region. Independent unions not affiliated with the traditional, politicized national union centers and unions associated with the Hindu-nationalist Shiv Sena organization, while relatively small are playing a prominent role in the region.
In the southern region there has been a decline in labor unrest.
However, in Kerala, a communist stronghold, there has been the proliferation of unions and multiple representations within a given industrial unit that is causing problems for the overall trade union movement. These inter-regional variations have been a critical reason behind shelving labor law reforms in India because of a lack of consensus on the issue across different state governments.
Certain states in India like Kerala and West Bengal have stronger trade unions and great worker mobilization against the privatization issue because of their Communist background. Basically, one can observe inter-regional variations in the participation and mobilization capacity of the trade unions.
In the northern region, there has been a mix of industrial growth and stagnancy. Workers displaced from “sick” units were absorbed by the informal sector, with losses in wages and working conditions.
Labor unrest was not very significant during the period from 1993-94. There was sporadic participation by workers in one-day strikes to protest economic reform policies.
In the eastern region, the Communist-Marxist government of West Bengal is well-known for its labor militancy because the region remains economically depressed with high unemployment levels, stagnant investment and has numerous unproductive “sick” plants.
Politically inspired one-day “bandhs” occur sporadically to protest against the economic reforms of the National government. The industry that has a long, troubled history with labor unrest is the jute industry.
The jute industry has been characterized by low profitability, antiquated equipment, and sporadic production and prolonged withholding of workers’ wages.
In the western region, there is industrial growth and increase in job creation. There is very little labor unrest because of the anti-strike stance of the Maharashtra government and increasing awareness on the part of both employers and workers to maintain competitiveness in a liberalizing economy. However, workers in the state-owned banks, led by leftist unions
were prominent in token strikes and demonstrations against economic reform policies. In general, the leftist unions were in decline throughout the region. Independent unions not affiliated with the traditional, politicized national union centers and unions associated with the Hindu-nationalist Shiv Sena organization, while relatively small are playing a prominent role in the region.
In the southern region there has been a decline in labor unrest.
However, in Kerala, a communist stronghold, there has been the proliferation of unions and multiple representations within a given industrial unit that is causing problems for the overall trade union movement. These inter-regional variations have been a critical reason behind shelving labor law reforms in India because of a lack of consensus on the issue across different state governments.