{"id":2090,"date":"2020-11-10T11:31:35","date_gmt":"2020-11-10T11:31:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/idronline.org\/2020\/12\/23\/labour-rights-productivity-at-what-cost\/"},"modified":"2025-11-11T09:03:44","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T03:33:44","slug":"labour-rights-productivity-at-what-cost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/idronline.org\/kn-in\/labour-rights-productivity-at-what-cost\/","title":{"rendered":"Productivity at what cost?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Back in May 2019, we were visiting a large garment factory in Arsikere, Karnataka, when we asked some of the workers, “What would you do if you got Saturdays off?” Their responses to this simple question summed up their priorities. A majority said they would spend time with family or friends and take care of their children. Many said they would use this time to relax or do household chores. Only a few said they’d look for additional pay.<\/span><\/p>

Since garment factories in India are characterised by a predominantly female labour force<\/span><\/a>, it seems almost obvious that a shorter workweek would not only give existing female workers a better work-life balance, but also incentivise prospective women to join the workforce—many of whom are bound by other time constraints.<\/span><\/p>

How would giving workers time off affect the productivity and profits of the business?<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>

But the broader question that still remains is: How would giving workers time off affect the productivity and profits of the business? Will the anticipated effect be positive and <\/i>sizeable, enough to incentivise a policy change in favour of lowering daily or weekly working hours? Answering these questions requires us to examine the link between working hours and productivity. This is particularly relevant in the context of the amendments<\/a> made to India’s labour laws in the wake of COVID-19.<\/span><\/p>

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Related article: Making labour systems work<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

What do India’s labour laws say about working hours?<\/b><\/span><\/h3>

Globally, labour laws have been put in place with the purpose of protecting employees’ rights and setting forth employers’ duties, and Indian labour laws are no different<\/span><\/a>. The Indian Constitution<\/span><\/a> guarantees every citizen the right to work, <\/span>secured to the best abilities of the state.<\/span> However, with upwards of 200 separate<\/span><\/a> pieces of labour legislation in the country, there is no strict definition of ‘labour laws’ to draw any boundaries. The current laws not only regulate the conditions of work of industrial establishments, but also industrial relations, payment of wages, and registration of trade unions, among other subjects. <\/span><\/p>

Without a set definition to serve as a compass, the scope for what can be regulated is wide, and can thus fall at the discretion of the regulators. One area where this has played out is in the context of The Factories Act, 1948<\/span><\/a> (amended in 1987)—an iconic act relating to minimum conditions of employment, which lays down all the provisions concerning occupational safety and health in factories, including working hours. Section 51 and 59 of the Act state, “No employee is supposed to work for more than 48 hours in a week and nine hours in a day. Any employee who works for more than this period is eligible for overtime remuneration.”<\/span><\/p>

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With upwards of 200 separate pieces of labour legislation in the country, there is no strict definition of ‘labour laws’ to draw any boundaries. | Picture courtesy: Nayantara Parikh<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>

However, the same act also allows state governments to exempt factories from these provisions relating to work hours for three months if factories are dealing with an exceptional amount of work.<\/span><\/p>

Where freedom is allowed, freedom is usually taken. <\/span><\/p>

\"donate<\/a><\/div>

In light of COVID-19, some states have increased<\/span><\/a> both the daily and weekly work hours with the purported aim of reviving the economy, boosting productivity, and ensuring more workers get jobs.<\/span><\/p>