I Internal Test held on 15/09/11 PART-B (IR&LW) 6 a) Discuss the aims, objectives and principles of labour welfare.

Aims and Objectives of Labour Welfare * To build up stable labour force to reduce labour turnover and absenteeism. * To make the industrial employment more attractive and enable the workers to live a richer and more satisfactory life. * To increase the mental efficiency and economic productivity of industrial workers and efficiency of the enterprise. * To raise the standard of living of the workers by indirectly reducing the burden on their means of living. * To make an intelligent prediction of the future need of industrial work and to design welfare programme acting as buffers to absorb the shock of industrialization and urbanization of workers. * To win over employees loyalty and increase their moral. * To provide an administratively viable and essential development legislations and machineries towards the general advancement of harmonious industrial relationship. * To make recruitment more effective. Need for Welfare Services (or) Importance of Welfare * The employers need welfare activities to discharge their social responsibility, raise the employees morale use the work force more effectively and to reduce function with workers and to avoid absenteeism. * Welfare benefits not only raise employee morale but make it easier for employers to attract and hire competent personnel. * Welfare facilities besides removing dissatisfaction help to develop loyalty in workers towards the organization. * Welfare may help minimize social evils, such as alcoholism, gambling, prostitution and drug addiction. * Welfare benefits not only raise employee morale but make it easier for employer to attract and hire competent personnel. * To increase productive efficiency from the workers by providing them with a new spirit of self realization and consciousness. * To create harmonious industrial relationship. * Welfare measures improve mental health by providing scope for promoting hidden talents like music, arts and other extra curricular activities. Principles of Labour Welfare i)Principle of Efficiency: Employers accept the responsibility for implementing such labour welfare measures which they consider will increase their efficiency. ii)Principle of the Social Responsibility: Labour welfare is also highlighted as a state policy in the Directive Principles of Indian Constitution. The study group of the Calcutta

Seminar on the social responsibilities of business had stressed the social responsibility of a business to itself, to its customers, to the workers, to the shareholders, to the community and to the state. iii)Principle of Integration and Coordination: The coordination of various welfare measures should be total as it plays a vital role in the success of the programs. Unless there is total coordination, we cannot expect a healthy development of workers in their work, and community. This principle plays an important role in developing harmony and continuity in labour welfare service. iv)Principle of Adequacy of Wages: Wages cannot be substituted by labour welfare measures. High wages alone cannot create healthy work environment. A combination of both wages and welfare measures would improve workers satisfaction, moral and motivation. v)Principle of Totality of Welfare: The welfare services should be total that is it should be spread over the entire organization to employees at all levels. Otherwise no welfare program would ever get started. vi)Principle of Accountability: The management must evaluate periodically the progress and effectiveness of such welfare measures. Success or failure of welfare programmes can be periodically evaluated. Vii)Principle of Timeliness: The timely provision of welfare services will ensure their success. Indentifying the problems and needs of the workers and deciding the proper course of remedial measures and when they should be offered are essential for successful labour welfare programs. Viii)Principle of Participation: Labour welfare largely depends upon the above mentioned basic principles and for successful implementation of welfare programs these should be kept in mind and carefully followed. 6b)State and explain the activities of various Industrial welfare agencies. Various agencies have organized welfare activity in India. These are * Central Government * The State Government * The employers * Trade unions * Other agencies Welfare Activities by the Central Government a)Factories Act 1948 Factories Act 1948 minimum standard for lighting ventilations, control of temperature, safety provisions for washing facilities first aid appliances, canteens, rest rooms, crches etc were also make in Factories Act 1948. Under the Act, State Government are authorized to make to associates representatives of workers with the management in regard to the welfare arrangement for work. Provision for the appointment of a Labour welfare officer in every factory employing 500 or more workers is also made in the Act. b)Labour Welfare Funds

The Government of India has set up labour welfare funds to finance welfare activities in Government owned and controlled undertaking welfare fund committees consisting of representatives of employees and government should be formed to administer the funds. Welfare Fund Acts were passed for workers engaged in coal, mica, iron ore, limestone and dolomite mines. The funds are useful for various welfare activities like housing, public health, medical education and recreation facilities for workers and for dependents. Welfare Activities by State Government State Government has also played an important role in providing the welfare activities to labour in their states. States of Tamilnadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Westbengal are the leading states in organizing various welfare activities. Some state provide vocational training centres to workers. Welfare Activities by Employers The employers have limited resources and moreover their attitude towards labour is apathetic. Employers provided medical aids hospitals and dispensary facilities, canteens, fair price shops, co-operative societies, recreation club, etc. These facilities are apart from their liability under various central or state legislations. They provide as voluntary health insurance scheme, gratuity and pension scheme and daughters marriage allowance schemes. Labour Welfare Activities by Trade Unions Some unions have devoted themselves to welfare work. The Ahmedabad Textile Labour Association spends nearly 70% of its income on welfare activities. They provided libraries, schools, cultural and recreation centres, etc. Social Service Agencies Society and similar leagues in Madras and Bengal, the Shiva Sena Society, the Bombay Presidency Womens Council, the Maternity and Infant Welfare Association and other societies play an important role in organizing the welfare work. 7b) Explain the welfare provision in the Factories Act 1948. i)Washing Facilities: In every factory adequate facilities for washing shall be provided and maintained for the use of the workers. Separately and adequately screened facilities shall be provided for the use of male and female workers. ii)Facilities for storing and drying facility: The State Government shall make rules in respect of a factory or class or description of factories requiring the provision therein of suitable places for keeping clothing not worn during working hours and for the drying of wet clothing. iii)Facilities for sitting: In every factory suitable arrangements for sitting shall be provided and maintained for all workers obliged to work ina standing position, in order that they take advantage of any opportunities for rest which may occur in the course of the work. iv)First aid appliances: Every factory shall maintain and provide one first aid box with prescribed contents for every 150 workers and it shall be in charge of a responsible person who holds a certificate in firsxt aid treatment, recognized by State Government.

v)Canteen: The State Government may take rules requiring that in any specified factory wherein two hundred and fifty workers are ordinarily employed, a canteen or canteens shall be provided and maintained by the occupier for the use of the workers. vi)Shelters rest rooms and lunch rooms: In every factory wherein more than one hundred and fifty workers are ordinarily employed, adequate and suitable shelters or rest rooms and a suitable lunch room with provision for drinking water, where workers can eat meals brought by them. vii)Crches: In every factory where more than thirty women are ordinarily employed there shall be provided and maintained a suitable room or rooms for the use of children under the age of six years of such women. viii)Welfare Officers: In every factory wherein five hundred or more workers are ordinarily employed the occupier shall employ in the factory such number of Welfare Officers as may be prescribed. 8)Explain the benefits of Employees State Insurance Corporation(ESIC). Employee State Insurance Employees State Insurance Act 1948 (ESI) is very popular. Here also it also operates pay about 2.3 percent of his wage and employers contribute 4.7 percent of wages with a maximum of Rs.7.5 per week for highest level. State Government reimburse 7/8th of expenses incurred on workers family and 3/4th of that incurred on workers. ESI Scheme covers the following benefit. * Medical Cover * Sickness Extended Sickness * Maternity * Disability * Dependent benefits Employees State Insurance Scheme(ESI) The ESI scheme was as per the provisions of the ESI Act to provide social protection to employees under contingencies such as sickness and other health risks and injury and occupational hazards arising out of employment. The ESI scheme was first launched in 1952 at Kanpur. The State Governments also contribute a prescribed rate of the medical care expenditure within a ceiling fixed under law. The scheme provides two types of benefits, * Medical benefits and * Cash benefits i)Medical Benefit Council The medical benefit council constituted by the central government consists of the Director General of Health Services, a deputy Director General Health Service, the medical commissioner of the Corporation, one member each state, three members representing the employers, three members representing employees, three members out of whom not less than one of a woman representing the medical profession.

ii)Cash Benefits They are provided in the form of sickness benefit including extended and enhanced sickness benefits, disablement benefit, dependants benefit, maternity benefit, funeral expenses and rehabilitation allowances. Sickness benefits are paid for the period of certified sickness and for long term diseases extended sickness benefits are provided. For temporary physical disablement arising out of employment disablement benefits are provided for the entire period of such disablement certified by the authorized medical officer. Disablement Benefit This is given to insured workers for disablement form injuries received during employment and in the course of employment. For temporary disablement and lasting for more than 7 days the amount of benefit payment is about half the average wages for the period of disablement. For permanent disablement the persons are entitled to a pension for life in accordance with the proportionate loss in their earning capacity. Dependent Benefit In case an insured person dies as a result of an employment injury his dependents will be paid an amount not exceeding one-half of the amounts payable to the deceased person in case of permanent total disablement. The ESI Corporation has established a chair of hospital, to prove for the medical