Problems and Prospects of Contract Labour: Implications and Challenges for Trade Unions in BSNL.

Abstract

The present paper is an analysis of the challenges and repercussions of the contract labour system and its various dimensions in the telecom sector especially on BSNL, a public sector company in India. The government of India as part of economic reforms and structural adjustments incorporated many changes in its political system. The bifurcation of Postal and Telegram Departments under the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) was one of them. All governments in the era of globalisation and privatisation employ casual labourers and thus it becomes the order of the day. The system of contract labour is highly beneficial for the government and other firms especially when they face grave economic crisis, but at the same time it affects seriously the labour culture and trade union activities in a country like India. The efficacy of the provisions of the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 is also discussed in this paper. The present study is based on primary data collected through interview and personal conversations with trade union leaders and contract workers and on secondary data collected through articles, journals, annual reports and websites.