WAGE LAWS – AN APPROACH, CHALLENGES AND CONSEQUENCES UPON THE INDIAN INDUSTRY

Abstract

In a functioning society, the economic prosperity of the country is always determined on the earning capacity of the workers. As we know in every society, there are some social evils that we have to fight and one of them is wage disparity. For as long as we look back, the concept of wage can be found in every culture. It can be loosely translated to a kind of economic incentive or consideration given for the work done by a worker. This system of wage existed in the ancient days though it might not have been as well organised or codified. We can take examples of Zamindars, money lenders who abused their power to make workers do work for free or to repay the huge amount of debts owed. These situations were so grave that it left the descendants of such workers to become lifelong slaves merely to repay the same. Further it has been observed, during ancient times that various Kingdoms engaged in the practice of making the public work under them for free: in order to build roads, to cultivate for the royal family, to make monuments, palaces in return of granting “Kar Maafi”. And it has been practised as a custom for a long time with no such laws to protect their basic rights. Moreover, the problem of exploiting workers is not merely domestic, but an international one. Countries like England, France, and Spain have had instances of oppressing the masses: compelling them to work, all the while exploiting them out of a fair payment.