Wages Of Workers Research Articles

Dynamics of class and labour: Evidence from a longitudinal study in Rajasthan (India)

AbstractIn the Gang Canal region of Rajasthan, the cropping pattern changed from a labour intensive crop, cotton, to a mechanized crop, cluster beans. The shift in cropping pattern not only displaced workers from farm wage work but also brought changes in labour hiring contracts with large scale conversion of daily wage rate contracts to piece‐rate contracts. Drawing on a primary survey in a village from Gang Canal region, the paper examines the change in the agrarian relations in rural Rajasthan by analysing the emerging development in the rural labour relations. For piece‐rate work in farm wage work in some parts of Rajasthan, the wage rate is unilaterally decided by the landlords and large capitalist farmers and is denoted as the ‘village rate’. The manual workers have negligible bargaining power vis‐à‐vis the village rate. The conversion of daily wage rate contracts to piece‐rate contracts has enhanced the duration of working day that involves a rise in the rate of surplus value. Access and availability of low wage labour facilitates the accumulation of capital. With the limited availability of employment in the non‐farm sector (in both public and private sectors), workers are compelled to sell their labour power at wages that do not exceed the level of subsistence. The paper concludes with a brief examination of continuum of coercion and varied degree of unfreedom among worker in the village.

The effect of NAFTA on Mexico's wage gap

This paper studies how the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) affected the wage gap between high and low-paid workers within Mexico, considering internal migration. In low-skilled, labor-abundant developing countries, trade liberalization should theoretically increase the wages of low-skilled workers, decreasing income inequality. However, anecdotal evidence indicates that NAFTA increased the gap between rich and poor in Mexico, and empirical evidence is mixed (Hirte et al. 2020; Brülhart 2011; Bosch and Manacorda 2010; Nicita 2009; Chiquiar 2008; Hanson 2007; Gonzalez-Rivas 2007). Because trade may affect wages differently across regions within the country, accurate measures of wage effects must incorporate internal migration; otherwise, apparent wage convergence or divergence might only reflect a geographic resorting of workers. We evaluate wage changes by considering rural-to-urban migration. We first find a slight decrease in both internal and external migration in the years after NAFTA. Then, we find that all male workers see a wage reduction from trade openness, although the harm of high-wage workers almost doubled that of their counterparts with low wages. NAFTA also mitigated some of the wage differentials between the North and South. In summary, trade liberalization has reduced wage differentials among working-age men in urban areas.

Legal Protection for Workers Receiving Wages below the Minimum Wage Provisions at the District/City Level Post the Job Creation Law

This research aims to analyze the legal protection for workers receiving wages below the minimum wage after the enactment of the Omnibus Law on Job Creation. With the regulatory changes, there is a potential decrease in the wage levels for workers at the district/city level. Therefore, this study seeks to delve into the impact of legislative changes on the rights and welfare of workers, particularly those affecting minimum wage standards. The research method employed is normative legal research, involving an analysis of relevant legislation and a literature review on the impact of the Omnibus Law on Job Creation on worker wages. The findings indicate that these regulatory changes have a significant impact on workers' rights, especially those receiving wages below the minimum standard. Furthermore, the study identifies several challenges in the legal protection of workers under minimum wage provisions, including the expansion of company authority in setting wages. Therefore, it is recommended to implement policy and regulatory improvements that prioritize the interests of workers to ensure adequate legal protection amid changes in the labor market structure. This research is expected to contribute to a deeper understanding of the changes in working conditions post-Omnibus Law on Job Creation and their implications for workers' rights. Consequently, constructive solutions are anticipated to enhance legal protection for workers receiving wages below the minimum wage at the district/city level.

A story of social entrepreneurship through the creation of the Hopeboots project

Research methodology This case was developed by using primary data collected from two separate one on one interviews, a panel interview in which Josee was featured and secondary data collected from news articles and publications featuring Josee. Information specific to Atikuss’ offerings was found through the Atikuss website. A translation software was used to understand many of the articles about Josee, as many were in French. Case overview/synopsis Atikuss (meaning young caribou in Innu) is the sustainable business founded by Josee LeBlanc, an Indigenous woman from Northern Quebec. As a workshop-boutique, Attikuss offers a diverse selection of hand-made traditional Indigenous items from her own Indigenous culture. Hopeboots is a project run through Atikuss which allows customers to create their own Mukluks while learning about Indigenous culture and the story behind every design. When starting her business, Josee learned that the women making mukluk boots were not earning a livable wage for their work. Her dilemma when creating a sustainable business was whether to increase the beaders wages to a fair wage, costing her and the consumer more, or maintaining the status quo by continuing to pay the beaders less then five dollars an hour. Josee’s decision to increase wages generated opportunities and increased well being through social investments in her community. This decision considers the cost to many stakeholders and offers an Indigenized perspective to entrepreneurship. This case is relevant to Indigenous entrepreneurship, sustainability, social innovation, business ethics, and corporate social responsibility. Complexity academic level This case is targeted toward university-level students and can be relevant to graduate-level students as well.

Особливості суспільно-політичних процесів на Волині у 1905-1907 рр.

The purpose of the article is to study the speeches of the peasants and the activities of anti-government political parties in the Volyn province at the end of 1905-1907. The author has researched archival documents and scientific works in which the specifics and features of the revolutionary speeches in Volyn have been analyzed. Special attention is paid to highlighting the role of revolutionary parties in these processes. The research methodology is based on the use of general scientific research methods (analysis, synthesis and generalization) and special historical (chronological and comparative-historical) methods, which, in combination with the principles of objectivism, historicism and multifactoriality, created the necessary conditions for objective coverage of the tasks. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the fact that the author, on the basis of archival documents and scientific works, analyzed the peculiarities of the activities of national and revolutionary parties in Volyn at the beginning of the 20th century, highlighted the dynamics and specifics of peasant demonstrations in the region during the revolution of 1905-1907. Conclusions. On the basis of an unbiased analysis of archival documents and scientific works, the peculiarities and specifics of the activity of anti-imperialist political parties in Volyn on the eve of and during the revolutionary events of 1905-1907 were investigated. It was found that at the beginning of the 20th century. in Volyn, there were a few centers of Ukrainian, Jewish, Polish and socialist and neo-Marxist political groups. It is noted that socialist and neo-Marxist ideology was brought to the region by political figures who were detained by the police and sent by the imperial authorities to Volyn under police supervision. Neo-Marxists' close attention to Volhynia was dictated by its geographical location, because it was through the region that printed literature was illegally transported. During the revolutionary events in the Volyn province, peasant protests took place, aimed at the arbitrary cutting down of landowners' forests, cattle grazing, and in some cases there were also strikes of wage workers and austerities. However, in contrast to industrial regions, the labor movement in Volyn was insignificant, and in some cases employees refused to participate in strikes.

692-P: Work or Wellness? Examining Challenges of Low Wage Workers with Type 2 Diabetes

692-P: Work or Wellness? Examining Challenges of Low Wage Workers with Type 2 Diabetes

Dynamics of employment in Russia (2018 – mid-2023)

The article examines the impact of the pandemic and a special military operation on the economic sphere and labor relations in the Russian Federation. The conclusion is made that the Russian economy has successfully adapted to these phenomena. Initial forecasts about the collapse of the economy did not come true; the economic situation is stable. In addition, based on statistical data and the results of sociological research, a decrease in informal employment of Russians is stated. During the pandemic and its beginning, the number of employees working without a contract has not increased, there is an increase in standard employed Russians. There are three main reasons for this process. The first is the reduction of the labor force in Russia, which increases the demand for it and, accordingly, the improvement of labor relations, the second is the actions of the government during the pandemic, aimed primarily at helping officially employed workers and the adoption of the law on the self-employed, the third is the reduction as a result of the pandemic and a special military operation of private small and medium-sized businesses, the main places of work informally employed, reduction of the informal economy and the shadow labor market. These findings force us to reconsider our approaches to the growth of the precariat, the core of which is informally employed wage workers. The number of precarious is growing with a favorable economic situation, growth of economic initiative and non-interference of the state in the economic sphere. In the opposite situation, the number of precarious workers decreases.

Prevalence of depression and associated factors among obstetric care providers at public health facilities in the West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia: Cross-sectional study.

Depression is a severe and treatable mental illness that significantly affects individuals' daily activities. Obstetric care providers are the most vulnerable group for depression because they work in an emergency to save two lives at a time, share the stress of women during labor, and are at great risk for contamination. To assess depression and associated factors among obstetric care providers working in public health facilities. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 423 obstetric care providers working in public health facilities found in the West Arsi Zone, Ethiopia, from June 1 to 30, 2023. Study participants were selected through a simple random sampling technique. A pretested, face-to-face interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with depression. The level of statistical significance was declared at P < 0.05 with a 95% CI. Overall, the prevalence of depression among obstetric care providers was 31.1% (95% CI: 26.6%, 35.5%). Marital status not in union (AOR = 2.86, 95%CI: 1.66, 4.94), working more than 40 hours per week (AOR = 2.21, 95%CI: 1.23, 3.75), current substance use (AOR = 2.73, 95%CI: 1.64, 4.56), not being satisfied with their job (AOR = 3.52, 95%CI: 2.05, 6.07) and having burnout symptoms (AOR = 5.11, 95%CI: 2.95, 8.83) were factors significantly associated with depression. We recommend that health professionals take care of themselves and avoid substance use. We also recommended that stakeholders enhance job satisfaction and avoid burnout by implementing various programs, like raising wages for workers, increasing staff members, offering various benefits, and regularly monitoring issues that arise.

Multimorbidity and its Associated Factors in Korean Shift Workers: Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Multimorbidity is a crucial factor that influences premature death rates, poor health, depression, quality of life, and use of health care. Approximately one-fifth of the global workforce is involved in shift work, which is associated with increased risk for several chronic diseases and multimorbidity. About 12% to 14% of wage workers in Korea are shift workers. However, the prevalence of multimorbidity and its associated factors in Korean shift workers are rarely reported. This study aimed to assess multimorbidity prevalence, examine the factors associated with multimorbidity, and identify multimorbidity patterns among shift workers in Korea. This study is a population-based cross-sectional study using Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2016 to 2020. The study included 1704 (weighted n=2,697,228) Korean shift workers aged 19 years and older. Multimorbidity was defined as participants having 2 or more chronic diseases. Demographic and job-related variables, including regular work status, average working hours per week, and shift work type, as well as health behaviors, including BMI, smoking status, alcohol use, physical activity, and sleep duration, were included in the analysis. A survey-corrected logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors influencing multimorbidity among the workers, and multimorbidity patterns were identified with a network analysis. The overall prevalence of multimorbidity was 13.7% (302/1704). Logistic regression indicated that age, income, regular work, and obesity were significant factors influencing multimorbidity. Network analysis results revealed that chronic diseases clustered into three groups: (1) cardiometabolic multimorbidity (hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke), (2) musculoskeletal multimorbidity (arthritis and osteoporosis), and (3) unclassified diseases (depression, chronic liver disease, thyroid disease, asthma, cancer, and chronic kidney disease). The findings revealed that several socioeconomic and behavioral factors were associated with multimorbidity among shift workers, indicating the need for policy development related to work schedule modification. Further organization-level screening and intervention programs are needed to prevent and manage multimorbidity among shift workers. We also recommend longitudinal studies to confirm the effects of job-related factors and health behaviors on multimorbidity among shift workers in the future.

In spite of patriarchy: Pathways from school to wage work and careers among adolescent girls in Bihar.

In the context of rural Bihar where few women work outside the home, what scope do adolescent girls and young women have to transition into wage work and careers? While the mobility of girls is still widely restricted to secure their marriageability, the spread of higher schooling and the internet has inflated aspirations and levelled them out across boys, girls and social classes. The present study drew on 45 focus group discussions and 73 in-depth interviews among adolescent girls and young women and related stakeholders to develop 32 cases of transitioning girls across four districts of rural Bihar in India. The qualitative data were collected in 2022 and analysed using a combination of thematic and comparative narrative analyses. The analysis identified some common features of transitioning girls and their pathways. Many girls had been forced by circumstance-household shocks or chronic poverty-to earn money, thereby building their skills and self-efficacy. Others were from families where progressive values ensured their mobility and exposure. Yet others transitioned "by stealth." But all girls had the backing of at least one parent and all had to learn to navigate public space while safeguarding their reputations. By researching actual pathways (rather than distant dreams), the study identifies a variety of transition outcomes, including "good" jobs as teachers, nurses, and police officers, "low entry" jobs in factories and new services, and full-time businesses built from scratch. The paper suggests that interventions be designed separately for these distinct outcomes and that efforts are best directed towards girls already "self-transitioning" and demonstrating the requisite resolve and self-efficacy.

Collective Voice without Collective Bargaining: Pandemic Induced Wage Theft Claims and Worker Responses in Apparel Supply Chains

AbstractConcentrated corporate power and failures to manage the distribution of risk mean that workers bear the heaviest burden in globalised apparel supply chains. Law and associated normative frameworks seek to strengthen collective worker voice and other worker rights to tip the scales of unequal bargaining power to benefit the workers. However, some of the traditional tools of labour law such as unionising and collective bargaining have weakened over the years and exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a conceptual framework based on regulatory theory, feminist insights, and semi-autonomous social fields, this article examines the law-practice gap for regulating just wages within the apparel supply chain, responses, and how workers fight wage theft and carve out pathways to demand just wage standards. Drawing from the case of Sri Lanka, the article discusses how alternative forms of worker voice seek to fill in the implementation gaps. The findings of this study demonstrate worker initiatives to shape the regulation of just wages and how networked labour activism, especially by women workers, prompts to re-imagine structures of actor accountability on wage rights.

The Minimum Wage Under the Pressure of Some Internal and External Factors of Influence

Abstract The minimum wage, through the lens of its effects, is constantly under the scrutiny of the authorities, employers and employees. The paper analyzes how certain endogenous (specific to each state) and exogenous factors (such as the implementation of the Directive on ensuring adequate wages for workers in the Union) influence minimum wage policies and their evolution over time. This article explores the impact of the minimum wage from economic and social perspectives, mainly in terms of the labour market and poverty. The arguments for or against certain aspects of the minimum wage support the conclusions of the article reinforcing the idea of the need for the existence of an adequate minimum wage and reveal that, depending on the criteria considered for adoption and the way of implementation, it can be one of the most effective tools for intervention on the labour market and for protecting employees with incomes located at the bottom of the income pyramid.

Sustainability Investigation of Batik Production at Seraci Batik Betawi

Abstract The textile industry is one of the sectors that plays a crucial role in economic and environmental sustainability efforts. Batik, as a distinctive textile industry of Indonesia, has a significant role in sustainable development. This research analyzed the sustainability practices of Seraci Batik Betawi in the environmental, social, and economic aspects using a descriptive approach based on the results of interviews and observations. The company used eco-friendly natural dyes, minimized waste, and managed wastewater effectively. They empowered their workers through training, provided fair wages, and hired unskilled laborers. Seraci Batik Betawi also maintained market share with unique motifs and collaborated with the garment industry. The result is a contribution to social, cultural, environmental, and local economic sustainability. This research provides valuable insights for the textile and batik industry in achieving higher sustainability.

A Good Investment: Expanding Capacity to Care for Older Adults in the Home and Community Care Sector Through Increased Personal Support Worker Wages.

Most older adults prefer to age in place, which for many will require home and community care (HCC) support. Unfortunately, HCC capacity is insufficient to meet demand due in part to low wages, particularly for personal support workers (PSWs) who provide the majority of paid care. Using Ontario as a case study, this paper estimates the cost and capacity impacts of implementing wage parity between PSWs employed in HCC and institutional long-term care (ILTC). Specifically, we consider the cost of increased HCC PSW wages versus expected savings from avoiding unnecessary ILTC placement for those accommodated by HCC capacity growth. The expected increase in HCC PSW retention would create HCC capacity for approximately 160,000 people, reduce annual health system costs by approximately $7 billion, and provide an 88 per cent return on investment. Updating wage structures to reduce turnover and enable HCC capacity growth is a cost-efficient option for expanding health system capacity.

BADI CHILDREN EDUCATION AND AFFECTING FACTORS IN THEIR SCHOOLING

Badi community is a lowest caste group not only in other caste group but it is also among Dalit community. The educational status of Badi community is not satisfactory and as pitiable. To address this problem, the aim of the study is to find out the educational status of Badi children and affecting factors in their schooling. From the literature review, there have been few study on Badi community rather than other Dalit, thus, there is more difficult to get the study on Badi education. So to fill this gap I am selected the Badi community of Dullu municipality of Dailekh district to study their current educational status by the use of census method. Research design is based on quantitative technique and data collected by the primary sources such as interview with closed ended questionnaire, observation, daily diary and data is analyzed by the use univariate and bivariate technique through SPSS software. Education status of Badi is not satisfactory and/or miserable. Their literacy rate and completion of school level education is lower than the national ratio, still, the enrollment and pass rate in higher education is very low. Likewise, parents perceptions in schooling is positive but only to literacy rather than knowledge acquiring. Mostly, parents attention is more centralized to the daily wage work for their livelihood due to the poor economic condition. They are not confidence of any good opportunities after achieving education. On the other hand, Badi children are not so interested on schooling but more interested other income generation activities. Thus, their school education is only literacy oriented.

THE GIG ECONOMY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON CONTRACT LABOR LAWS

This paper analyses the effect of gig economy on contract labour laws. The gig economy has changed the nature of work, placed established employment models to the test, and brought up significant issues about the suitability of current contract labour rules. According to the Unorganised Workers' Social Security Act of 2008, a wage worker, self-employed individual, or someone working from home is referred to as an "unorganised worker." Although gig workers may not be included in this definition, they do fit under the second clause, which defines gig workers as those for whom no labour code defines the term. They are referred to as "platform workers" since their employment is dependent on platforms and they are hired by businesses using digital apps. Rajasthan is the first state in India to develop legislation protecting gig workers and giving them access to sufficient regulatory frameworks to stop exploitation of their freelance. This paper examines several gig economy issues while accounting for the growing demand for platform labour. It also offers a well-thought-out system for harmonious interactions between the aggregator and worker, as well as specific actions to meet these workers' demands. When the COVID-19 pandemic stuck, a large portion of the gig economy flourished since it was useful for delivering food, necessities, and transportation services, which were severely disrupted. The research's focus is restricted to talking about the problems that platform workers—individuals who work for aggregators like Swiggy, Ola, Uber, and so on—face and offering potential fixes.The paper investigates how the gig economy may affect contract labour laws. It does so by looking at the particulars of gig employment, how different jurisdictions have responded to regulations, and the opportunities and problems that may arise in providing gig workers with adequate safeguards. To meet the characteristics of this developing labour market, it also evaluates the necessity of regulatory adjustments. This article clarifies the intricacies of gig labour in India by thoroughly examining the rules governing labour today, such as the Code on Wages, and how they relate to gig workers.

Does self-employment provide a bridge to retirement?

Abstract Non-employment including early retirement among individuals of older working age is a considerable concern. As life expectancies across the developed world continue to increase, individuals’ retirement savings often turn out to be inadequate. In policy circles, given the increasing old-age dependency ratio, self-employment is often seen as a potential route to extend the working lives of older labour force participants. By studying labour market switches of wage workers of 50 years and older, we investigate to what extent self-employment serves as a bridge to retirement. Using a longitudinal data base in European countries over the period 2005–2015, our findings suggest that although self-employment does serve as a bridge to retirement, this is much less likely to be the case for precarious wage workers—especially those with poor job prospects—than for wage workers at the higher end of the labour market, including those who are in good health and who have good job prospects in their current wage job. We also find that wage workers with precarious job conditions are more likely to switch into non-employment rather than into self-employment. Policy implications are discussed.

True Costing in Logistics &amp; Supply Chain Management: How do we make decisions based on True Economic Trade-Offs (T-ETOs)?

Decision-making in logistics (including /supply chain management) is often based on traditional cost-price information from a company's accounting department. Externalities, like social and environmental impact, are usually not included in decision-making. To include a more integrated trade-off, the cost-price information should include information on the traditional costs and the costs of externalities like fair wages (social costs) and costs of damage, pollution, etc. (environmental costs). The article provides an overview of traditional costs and attempts to monetise externalities (by using the concept of shadow prices and the Lagrange multiplier or λ) as a base for decision-making in logistics. Some case studies are presented from the last decade and an example of a true economic trade-off for buying a diesel truck-tractor or an electric truck-tractor. In the previous example, much decision data is missing because no track record has yet been developed in this industry. The key issue is making external effects measurable so that business practices can make sound decisions based on financial, social, and environmental data. The author ends the contribution with a call for further (applied) research into true pricing in logistics.

The social reproduction of (and through) food: Agrarian change in Uzbekistan

AbstractFood systems—and the interplay between food production, marketisation and access—are constituent elements of the social reproduction of life. Using a social reproduction framework, this paper problematises the ontological, epistemological and methodological premises of food system studies in agrarian change. Based on primary data collected during multiple rounds of fieldwork in rural Uzbekistan and adopting mixed methods, it offers a triple contribution. First, it assesses the inequalities of food security and dietary diversity among different classes of farmers and agrarian wage workers. Along these lines, it argues that individualised food security indicators do not unveil the systemic determinants that explain unequal patterns of social reproduction through nutrition during processes of agrarian marketisation. To move beyond individual‐based theorisations, it extends the investigation to state policies, market drivers and gender norms in relation to food knowledge, provision, affordability and availability. In so doing, it unpacks the contradictions that explain the uneven conditions of social reproduction of (and through) food. Finally, by investigating the modalities of access and availability of ultra‐processed food in rural areas, it reflects on the tensions between the capitalist global food system and its interaction with the logics of state‐led development to maintain the social reproduction of rural life.

Effective Facilitation and Major Improvements through Revamping Wage Regulations in Indonesia

This study examines the role of the Sidoarjo Regency Manpower Office in determining the Regency/City Minimum Wage (UMK). Using a qualitative approach, data were collected through interviews, observations, and documentation with key informants such as workers' unions, employers, and government officials. The findings reveal that the Manpower Office effectively facilitates wage determination by providing necessary infrastructure, forming wage councils, and aligning with central government regulations. However, improvements in infrastructure efficiency and the development of clearer, faster regulatory methods are needed. This research highlights the office's strengths and areas for enhancement in setting fair minimum wages. Highlights: Effective Facilitation: Provides infrastructure and forms wage councils for UMK determination. Regulatory Alignment: Complies with central government policies and living needs. Infrastructure Improvement: Enhances efficiency and develops faster, clearer regulations. Keywords: Sidoarjo Regency, Manpower Office, Minimum Wage, Labor Regulation, Qualitative Research