Labour Laws and Human Rights: a Converging Agenda

Abstract

India is an emerging nation that heavily relies on its unorganized sector. Throughout history, the workers in the nation have faced exploitation and have been deprived of their fundamental human rights. Following independence, various actions were implemented at various points to address this issue and ensure the prioritization of Human Rights. In furtherance to international conventions and Constitutional requirements, multiple statutes were enacted to guarantee the rights of workers. There were approximately 44 laws have been enacted in India since independence to improve the welfare of workers and enhance working conditions in the workplace. These statutes encompassed various rights such as Right to minimum wages, Right to Maternity Leave and benefits, Right to Bonus, Right to insurance and other medical benefits, Right to compensation for injuries, and Right to safe working conditions. The abundance of statutes resulted in a huge mess and a tangle of complexities. In order to enhance accessibility for workers, the government has consolidated the key legislation into 4 Labour Codes. Throughout the years, the judiciary has played a crucial role in safeguarding the human rights aspect of the labour laws. When determining cases, a purposive interpretation approach has been given to all the beneficial statutes while deciding cases. This research study thoroughly explains the evolution of labour laws in India, shedding light on the Human Rights aspect of labor laws through various judicial precedents and the rights guaranteed under statutes and newly introduced codes and this paper deepens our understanding of the relationship between labour law and human rights.