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What is labour commitment? Discuss it with reference to studies of manufacturing industry. (UPSC CSE Mains 2018 - Sociology, Paper 1)
The development of modern industry is critically dependent on the existence of labour. An efficient labour market is one-where positive financial inducement act as a major allocative mechanism in the distribution of labour between factories, industries, geographical areas and levels of skill. Industrialization implies a complex process of social transformation. Labour commitment in this sense is both the cause and consequence of industrialization. It is cause because industrialization cannot be complete unless workers have undergone this transformation, and it is a consequence because successive steps in the march towards industrialization reinforce the process of transformation and adaptation.
Labour creates value:
The view of the great modern western political philosopher, Karl Marx will be very helpful in explaining the division of society based on Class as rich and the poor. His analysis is wholly from the economic point of view where “Rich becomes richer and poor become poorer”. This situation is created when there is a surplus of production that moved the industries from small to large scale. Here, the emphasis is given to two types of people, namely owner and labour. The owner is being represented with the capital that they have to own a factory and at the same time, the labour is being represented by the value they receive from the owner as wage or salary for the work, they are obligated for. So, to generate value, labour commitment is much required.
Labour consciousness:
When time flows, the production and distribution of products and services increase with the gradual increase in the profit of the owner. This is the period when the value of labour is decided by the owner that emerged in the exploitation of two sets of people because of their ultimate greed and new use of man-made machinery than manpower itself. The developments of capitalistic society without its proper understanding will surely “Sows its own seed of destruction”. By neglecting the labour commitment, the capable work from the so-called ‘second-class’ people cannot be drained which overall lower the quality of production in the market. By this, the firm will lose its standard place in the competitive industry’s list again deciding to be taken by the State.
Labour to discipline man in social life:
- As we all know there is a difference between worker and labour where the former has choices regarding work but the latter has either no choice or very limited choice. The mindset of the people in our society is the one that rewards the labour who performs his role perfectly. Another aspect for which labour commitment is necessary to integrate them which leads to achieving personal benefits by means of collective well-being.
- Myres argues that Indian managers showed little interest in labour problems. The work force of the Bombay cotton mills in the thirties was little more than a vast seething mob, with few loyalties and even less discipline, labour was cheap and plentiful, and it was poor economics to take measures to foster a stable and committed labour force. This situation does not obtain any longer. Labour may still be plentiful, but the era of cheap laboures over. Moreover, workers are now well organized, politically conscious and have powerful political allies. Labour would certainly not tolerate short sighted managerial policies. Since workers retain their links with the village, visits to the village are now institutionalized and undertaken with the consent of the management. Myres concludes that turnover has dropped sharply became the worker wants to keep his city job. But he also wants to retain his links with the village.
Justification for his selection:
Work is being always allotted to the person who seems capable of taking full responsibility without fail. The selection process is very crucial stage as it involves lots of money, time and also resources. So, if such process of selection is done, it means that the person is highly qualified in terms of putting his efforts and hard work towards his job than many more people who were along with him till the interview stage. Labour commitment enhances the prominence of employer and the relationship between them and the labourer. They are the one who can change the devastating condition of the firm, motivate the labourers to bring out their skills and talents and decrease the absenteeism during the activities of the firm. By this way, they can give better justification in appointing the labours.
Making the labourers fully involved in the firm is a task as on one side though they are collectively responsible, they are working to acquire some personal benefits that cannot be avoided as it the psychological mind of the human being to do so. To compensate both the terms, the firm must look up the promotion of the labourers rather than concentrating only on their pay scale. They also should meet the needs of the Union to have peace and regular business in the industry. So, achieving Labour commitment is not only in the hands of labourers but there are many other factors too and understand those will bring success to the firm and advantage to the labourers.