The share of women employees in registered factories submitting annual returns — working greater than the statutorily-mandated most restrict of 48 hours in every week — elevated to a 11-year high of 33.6 per cent in 2019, reveals the newest annual knowledge launched by the labour bureau.
Image used for consultant function solely. Photograph: Samuel Rajkumar/Reuters
In comparability, solely 27.9 per cent male employees labored greater than the statutorily-mandated hours.
Earlier in 2008, 39.2 per cent women employees had labored greater than the prescribed work time.
The annual knowledge on implementation of the Factories Act, 1948, launched by the labour bureau with a time lag, is a compilation of knowledge furnished by states/Union Territories (UTs).
The guidelines framed underneath the Act impose an obligation on all registered factories to submit annual statutory returns.
These pertain to work hours, leaves, well being and security measures, inspections and convictions to the labour commissioner in their respective states/ UTs.
Section 51 of the Act prescribes that no grownup employee shall be required or allowed to work in a manufacturing unit for greater than 48 hours in any week.
This turns into vital in the wake of the current adjustments made by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in their utility of the Factories Act.
In these states, the Act now permits 12-hour shifts, and the easing of guidelines for night-time work for women.
This is a bid to extend the women labour pressure and appeal to investments.
Though, the weekly work hours proceed to be capped at 48 hours.
Besides, 58.5 per cent of women labored between 45 and 48 hours weekly, versus 64.6 per cent male employees.
Though, fewer males labored lower than 42 hours in every week (3.1 per cent) in comparison with 4.5 per cent women.
Factories in Tamil Nadu employed most women in overtime work (3,177), adopted by Andhra Pradesh (2,317) and Kerala (1021).
Amarjeet Kaur, common secretary, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), mentioned the rise in women work hours is primarily because of the quite a few exemptions offered underneath the present laws to low-cost, export-oriented sectors like textiles, paper and footwear.
“In the guise of export promotion and ease of doing enterprise, numerous state governments, together with Karnataka, have infringed upon employees’ rights by altering the work hours.
“This is not going to solely have a unfavourable impression on the working situations but additionally the wages and productiveness of staff, particularly women.
“Research reveals that longer working hours are usually not useful to the employers,” she added.
The report additional notes that there’s a rise of 2.56 per cent in the quantity of whole registered factories — from 2,28,837 in the start of the 12 months to 2,34,696 at the tip of the 12 months (2019).
Of this, practically 30 per cent factories (56,659) submitted returns.
Of the entire employment generated by these working factories, grownup males constituted 77.7 per cent of the entire common every day employment, whereas grownup women constituted 22.2 per cent.
