Introduction to Welfare Activity

According to International Labour OrganizationSuch services and facilities may to enable the persons employed to perform their work in a

healthy & congenial surroundings, Insists on providing amenities conductive to good health and

high morale.

Welfare includes anything that is done for the comfort and improvement of employees and is

provided over and above the wages. Welfare helps in keeping the morale and motivation of the

employees high so as to retain the employees for longer duration. The welfare measures need not

be in monetary terms only but in any kind/forms. Employee welfare includes monitoring of

working conditions, creation of industrial harmony through infrastructure for health, industrial

relations and insurance against disease, accident and unemployment for the workers and their

families. 

Labor welfare entails all those activities of employer which are directed towards providing the

employees with certain facilities and services in addition to wages or salaries. 

The Basic Features of Workers Welfare Measures Are As Follows:-

Labor welfare includes various facilities, services and amenities provided to workers for

improving their health, efficiency, economic betterment and social status.

Welfare measures are in addition to regular wages and other economic benefits available

to workers due to legal provisions and collective bargaining.

Labor welfare schemes are flexible and ever-changing. New welfare measures are added

to the existing ones from time to time.

Welfare measures may be introduced by the employers, government, employees or by

any social or charitable agency.

The purpose of labor welfare is to bring about the development of the whole personality

of the workers to make a better workforce.

They provide better physical and mental health to workers and thus promote a healthy

work environment.

Facilities like housing schemes, medical benefits, and education and recreation facilities

for workers’ families help in raising their standards of living. This makes workers to pay

more attention towards work and thus increases their productivity.

Employers get stable labor force by providing welfare facilities. Workers take active

interest in their jobs and work with a feeling of involvement and participation.

Employee welfare measures increase the productivity of organization and promote

healthy industrial relations thereby maintaining industrial peace.

The social evils prevalent among the labors such as substance abuse, etc are reduced to a

greater extent by the welfare policies.

Employee Welfare Schemes Organizations provide welfare facilities to their employees to keep their motivation levels high.

The employee welfare schemes can be classified into two categories viz. statutory and non-

statutory welfare schemes. The statutory schemes are those schemes that are compulsory to

provide by an organization as compliance to the laws governing employee health and safety.

These include provisions provided in industrial acts like Factories Act 1948, Dock Workers Act

(safety, health and welfare) 1986, Mines Act 1962. The non-statutory schemes differ from

organization to organization and from industry to industry

STATUTORY WELFARE SCHEMES

The statutory welfare schemes include the following provisions:

1. Drinking Water: At all the working places safe hygienic drinking water should be

provided.

2. Facilities for sitting: In every organization, especially factories, suitable seating

arrangements are to be provided.

3. First aid appliances: First aid appliances are to be provided and should be readily

assessable so that in case of any minor accident initial medication can be provided to the

needed employee.

4. Latrines and Urinals: A sufficient number of latrines and urinals are to be provided in

the office and factory premises and are also to be maintained in a neat and clean

condition.

5. Canteen facilities: Cafeteria or canteens are to be provided by the employer so as to

provide hygienic and nutritious food to the employees.

6. Spittoons: In every work place, such as ware houses, store places, in the dock area and

office premises spittoons are to be provided in convenient places and same are to be

maintained in a hygienic condition.

7. Lighting: Proper and sufficient lights are to be provided for employees so that they can

work safely during the night shifts.

8. Washing places: Adequate washing places such as bathrooms, wash basins with tap and

tap on the stand pipe are provided in the port area in the vicinity of the work places.

9. Changing rooms: Adequate changing rooms are to be provided for workers to change

their cloth in the factory area and office premises. Adequate lockers are also provided to

the workers to keep their clothes and belongings.

10. Rest rooms: Adequate numbers of restrooms are provided to the workers .

 

NON STATUTORY SCHEMES

Many non-statutory welfare schemes may include the following schemes:

1. Personal Health Care (Regular medical check-ups): Some of the companies provide

the facility for extensive health check-up

2. Flexi-time: The main objective of the flextime policy is to provide opportunity to

employees to work with flexible working schedules. Flexible work schedules are initiated

by employees and approved by management to meet business commitments while

supporting employee personal life needs

3. Employee Assistance Programs: Various assistant programs are arranged like external

counseling service so that employees or members of their immediate family can get

counseling on various matters.

4. Harassment Policy: To protect an employee from harassments of any kind, guidelines

are provided for

5.  proper action and also for protecting the aggrieved employee.

6. Maternity & Adoption Leave – Employees can avail maternity or adoption leaves.

Paternity leave policies have also been introduced by various companies.

7. Medi-claim Insurance Scheme: This insurance scheme provides adequate insurance

coverage of employees for expenses related to hospitalization due to illness, disease or

injury or pregnancy.

8. Employee Referral Scheme: In several companies employee referral scheme is

implemented to encourage employees to refer friends and relatives for employment in the

organization.

9. Introduction To Welfare Activity in India 10. During the early period of industrial development, efforts towards workers’ welfare was

made largely by social workers, philanthropists and other religious leaders, mostly on

humanitarian grounds. Before the introduction of welfare and other legislation in India,

the conditions of labour were miserable. Exploitation of child labour, long hours of work,

bad sanitation, absence of safety measures etc., were the regular features of the factory

life. The earliest legislative approach could be tracked back to the passing of

the Apprentices Act of 1850. This act was enacted with the objective of helping poor

and orphaned children to learn various trades and crafts. The next act was the Fatal

Accidents Act of 1853 which aimed at providing compensation to the families of

workmen who lost their life as a result of “actionable wrong”. Earlier attempts at

legislation in this country were mainly aimed at regulation of employment.

11.

12.Pre- Independence Era 13. The movement to improve the working conditions of Indian labour started with the

passing of the first Indian Factories Act in 1881. The deplorable conditions in which

labour worked in the textile mills in Bombay during those days, as testified by the factory

commission of 1875 was the immediate cause for the passing of the Act. Adult labour,

however, was not protected in any manner. It was found inadequate in many respects.

Anyhow, it recognized the right of the government to safeguard the interests of the

workers by means of a suitable legislation. Therefore, the Mulock Commission was

appointed by the Government of Bombay in 1884 to review the working of the Factories

Act of 1881.

14. The Factories (Amendment) Act 1891 applied to all factories employing 50 persons or

more. Provisions relating to better ventilation, cleanliness and for preventing

overcrowding in factories were also made. The hours of work for children were reduced

to six per day. Employment of women between 7.00 pm and 5.00 am was prohibited.

Women were allowed to work for eleven hours in a day with one and a half hours rest.

Certain provisions were also made for the health and safety of the Industrial workers.

15. The outbreak of First World War in 1914 let to a number of new developments. During

the war years (1914 to 1918) the number of factories and the number of persons

employed wherein increased. Wages did not keep pace with the rising prices and profits.

The establishment of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 1919 was

another important land mark in the history of Labour Welfare Movement in our Country.

The formation of AITUC (1920), the first central trade union organization in our country,

also helped in furthering the cause of welfare movement.

16. Another milestone in the field of labour welfare was reached with the appointment of

Labour Investigation Committee (Rege Committee) in 1944. The committee was asked

to investigate problems relating to wages and earnings, employment, housing and social

conditions of workers. It covered different areas in labour welfare such as housing policy,

rest and recreation, occupational diseases, relief in the case of old age and death, crushes,

canteens, medical aid, washing and bathing facilities , educational facilities etc. For the

first time in India, this committee highlighted the importance of welfare measures for

workers in improving their social and economic life.

17.

18.Post Independence Period 19. After independence, the labour welfare movement acquired new dimensions. It was

realized that labour welfare had a positive role to play in the increasing productivity and

reducing industrial tensions. The emergence of different central trade union organizations

– INTUC (1947), HMS (1943), BMS (1955), CITU (1970), NLO etc. gave a further

fillip to the growth of labour welfare movement. Mainly on the basis of the

recommendations of the Rege Committee, the Government of India enacted the Factories

Act 1948. To draft this important piece of legislation the services of Sir Wilfred

Garrett were utilized. Thus, the Factories Act of 1948 came into effect from 1stApril

1949.

20. Various Labour Welfare Activities were incorporated in different five year plans.

The First Five Year plan (1951 to 1956) paid considerable attention to the welfare of

working classes. It laid emphasis on the development of welfare facilities, for avoidance

of Industrial Disputes and for creating mutual goodwill and understanding. During this

period, the Plantations Labour Act, 1951,the Mines Act, 1951, and the Employees’

Provident Fund Act, 1952 were enacted.

21. The Second Five Year plan (1956 to 1961) saw further developments in the field of

labour welfare. New enactments were made to cover seamen and motor transport

workers. A comprehensive scheme known as Dock Workers (safety health and welfare)

scheme was drawn up in 1951. In 1959, the Government of Assam passed an Act called

The Assam Tea Plantations Employees’ Welfare Fund Act. This period also saw number

of enactments in the field of industrial housing by various state governments.

22. The Third Five Year plan (1961 to 1966) stressed the need for effective implementation

of various statutory welfare provisions. It recommended improvement in working

conditions and emphasized greater productivity on the part of workers. Some of the

legislative measures during this period include the Maternity Benefit Act

1961,Apprentices Act 1961, and Payment of Bonus Act 1965.

23. The Fifth five year plan (1974 to 1979) also laid down programmes for labour welfare.

For promoting industrial safety in increasing measure, the plan provided for setting up of

safety cells in various states. An amount of Rs.57 crores was provided for labour welfare

including craftsmen training and employment service.

24. The Sixth Five Year plan (1980 to 1985) decided to promote special programmes which

would also need to be undertaken by the state governments for the benefit of Agricultural

Labour, Artisans, Handloom Weavers, Fishermen, Leather workers and other

unorganized workers in the rural and urban areas. An outlay of Rs.161.7 crores was

proposed for the labour welfare programmes during this year.

25. In spite of all these efforts, the welfare work in India is still considerably below the

standard setup in other countries. However, it has come to stay as an accepted feature of

employment conditions and is bound to make rapid progress in the years to come,

especially when the Indian Republic is wedded to the ideal of a welfare state with

socialistic objectives.

26.Welfare Legislations and Provisions in ‘Factories Act, 1948’ 27. The Factories Act provides for the health, safety, welfare, service conditions and other

aspects of workers in factories. The Act is enforced by the State Government who frame

rules that ensure that local conditions are reflected in enforcement. Section 42 to 50 deals

with the welfare provisions listed in the Factories Act, 1948. Following are some of the

legal provisions:

28. Section 42: Washing facilities

29. In every factory –   Adequate and suitable facilities for washing shall be provided and

maintained for the use of the workers therein.  Separate and adequately screened facilities

shall be provided for the use of male and female workers;

30.          Such facilities shall be conveniently accessible and shall be kept clean.

31. Section 43: Facilities for storing and drying clothing

32. The State Government may, in respect of any factory or class or description of factories,

make rules requiring the provision therein of suitable places for keeping clothing not

worn during working hours and for the drying of wet clothing.

33. Section 44: Facilities for sitting

34. In every factory suitable arrangements for sitting shall be provided and maintained for all

workers obliged to work in a standing position, in order that they may take advantage of

any opportunities for rest which may occur in the course of their work.

35. Section 45: First Aid appliances

36. 1)      There shall in every factory be provided and maintained so as to be readily

accessible during all working hours first-aid boxes or cupboards equipped with the

prescribed contents, and the number of such boxes or cupboards to be provided and

maintained shall not be less than one for every one hundred and fifty workers ordinarily

employed at any one time in the factory.

37. 2)      Nothing except the prescribed contents shall be kept in a first-aid box or cupboard.

38. 3)      Each first-aid box or cupboard shall be kept in the charge of a separate responsible

person who holds a certificate in first-aid treatment recognized by State Government and

who shall always be readily available during the working hours of the factory.

39. 4)      In every factory wherein more than five hundred workers are ordinarily employed

there shall be provided and maintained an Ambulance Room of the prescribed size,

containing the prescribed equipment and in the charge of such medical and nursing staff

as may be prescribed and those facilities shall always be made readily available during

the working hours of the factory.

40. Section 46: Canteen

41. (1)   The State Government may make rules requiring that in any specified factory

wherein more than 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.

42. (2)   Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide

for –

43. (a)    The date by which such canteen shall be provided;

44. (b)   The standards in respect of construction, accommodation, furniture and other

equipment of the canteen;

45. (c)    The foodstuffs to be served therein and the charges which may be made therefore;

46. (d)   The constitution of a managing committee for the canteen and representation of the

workers in the management of the canteen;

47. (e)    The items of expenditure in the running of the canteen which are not to be taken into

account in fixing the cost of foodstuffs and which shall be borne by the employer;

48. Section 47: Shelters, Rest rooms and Lunch rooms

49. (1)   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, shall be

provided and maintained for the use of the workers.

50. (2)   The shelters or rest rooms or lunch rooms to be provided under sub-section (1) shall

be sufficiently lighted and ventilated and shall be maintained in a cool and clean

condition.

51. (3)   The State Government may –

52. (a)    Prescribe the standards in respect of construction, accommodation, furniture and

other equipment of shelters, rest rooms and lunch rooms to be provided under this

section;

53. (b)   By notification in the Official Gazette, exempt any factory or class or description of

factories from the requirements of this section.

54. Section 48: Creches

55. (1)   In every factory wherein more than thirty women workers 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.

56. (2)   Such rooms shall provide adequate accommodation, shall be adequately lighted and

ventilated, shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition and shall be under the

charge of women trained in the care of children and infants.

57. (3)   The State Government may make rules –

58. (a)    Prescribing the location and the standards in respect of construction,

accommodation, furniture and other equipment of rooms to be provided, under this

section;

59. (b)   Requiring the provision in factories to which this section applies of additional

facilities for the care of children belonging to women workers, including suitable

provision of facilities for washing and changing their clothing;

60. (c)    Requiring the provision in any factory of free milk or refreshment or both for such

children;

61. (d)   Requiring that facilities shall be given in any factory for the mothers of such

children to feed them at the necessary intervals.

62. Section 49: Welfare officers

63. 1)    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.

64. 2)      The State Government may prescribe the duties, qualifications and Conditions of

service of officers employed under sub-section (1)

PROVISIONS UNDER THE FACTORIES ACT-

The need for labour welfare was strongly felt by the Royal Commission on labour as far back as

in 1931, primarily because of lack of commitment to industrial work among factory workers and

the harsh treatment they received from their employers. This need was emphasized, in free India,

by the constitution which contains the following articles in this regard:

“ARTICLE 41: The state shall, within the limit of its economic capacity and development, make

effective provisions for securing the right to work to education, and to public assistance in cases

of unemployment, old-age, sickness, and disablement and in other cases of undeserved want.”

“ARTICLE 42: The state shall make provision for securing the just and humane conditions of

work and for maternity relief.”

ARTICLE 43: The state shall endeavour to secure, by suitable legislation or economic

organization or in any other way, to all workers, agricultural, industrial or otherwise, work, a

wage, conditions of work ensuring a decent standard of life and full enjoyment of leisure and

social and cultural opportunities, and in particular, the state shall endeavour to promote cottage

industries on an individual or co-operative basis in rural areas.”

THE FACTORIES ACT:

The act was first conceived in 1881 when legislation was enacted to protect children and to

provide health and safety measures. Later, hours of work were, sought to be regulated and were,

therefore, incorporated in the act in 1911. The act was amended and enlarged in 1934 following

the recommendations of the Royal Commission of labour. A more comprehensive legislation to

regulate working conditions replaced the act in 1948.

The welfare amenities provided under the factories act 1948 are given below:

(a) Washing facilities (S.42)

(b) Facilities for storing and dry clothing (S.43)

(c) Sitting facilities for occasional rest for workers who are obliged to work standing (S. 44)

(d) First-Aid boxes or cupboards – one for every 150 workers and ambulance facilities, if

there are more than 500 workers (S.45)

(e) Canteens if employing more than 250 workers (S. 46)

(f) Shelters, rest rooms and lunch rooms, if employing over 150 workers Welfare officer,

(S.47)

(g) Creche, if employing more than 30 women (S. 48)

(h) Welfare officer, if employing 500 or more workers (S.49)