05/01/2016

LabourWelfare:MeaningandDefinitionofLabourWelfare

LabourWelfare:MeaningandDefinitionofLabourWelfare!
Nowdays,welfarehasbeengenerallyacceptedbyemployersasasocialright.Butthe
degreeofimportancegivenbythemvaries.
Therefore,theGovernmentalsointervenesandintroduceslegislationfromtimetotime
tobringaboutuniformityinprovidingsuchamenities.Theinterventionofthestate,
however,isonlytowidentheareaofitsapplicability.

MeaningandDefinitionofLabourWelfare:
Labourwelfareisaflexibleandelasticconcept.Itsmeaningandimplicationsdiffer
widelywithtimes,regions,industries,countries,socialvaluesandcustoms,thegeneral
economicdevelopmentofthepeopleandthepoliticalideologiesprevailingatparticular
moments.Assuch,aprecisedefinitionisratherdifficult.
However,attemptshavebeenmadebyexpertbodiestodefinetheconcept
intheirownway.Letusstudysomeofthedefinitions:
1.InthewordsofProf.H.S.Kirkaldy.Thewholefieldofwelfareisoneinwhichmuch
canbedonetocombatthesenseoffrustrationoftheindustrialworkers,torelievethem
ofthepersonalandfamilyworries,toimprovetheirhealth,toofferthemsomesphere
inwhichtheycanexcelothersandtohelpthemtoawiderconceptionoflife.
2.InthesecondAsianRegionalConferenceofILO,itwasstatedthatworkerswelfare
maybeunderstoodtomeansuchservices,facilitiesandamenitieswhichmaybe
establishedinorinthevicinityofundertakingstoenablethepersonsemployedinthem
toperformtheirworkinhealthyandpeacefulsurroundingsandtoavailoffacilities
whichimprovetheirhealthandhighmorale.
3.AccordingtoBalfourcommittee,Labourwelfarereferstotheeffortsmadebythe
employerstoimprovetheworkingandlivingconditionsoverandabovethewagespaid
tothem.Initswidestsenseitcomprisesallmattersaffectingthehealth,safety,comfort
andgeneralwelfareoftheworkmen,andincludesprovisionforeducation,recreation,
thriftschemes,convalescenthomes.Itcoversalmostfieldsofactivitiesofworkerse.g.,
social,economic,industrialandeducational.
4.AccordingtoLabourInvestigationCommittee.Anythingdonefortheintellectual,
physical,moralandeconomicbettermentoftheworkers,whetherbytheemployers,by
thegovernmentorbyotheragenciesoverandabovewhatislaiddownbylaworwhatis
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05/01/2016

LabourWelfare:MeaningandDefinitionofLabourWelfare

normallyexpectedonthepartofthecontractualbenefitsforwhichworkermayhave
bargained.
Thisisreallyanexhaustivedefinition.Itcoversandhighlightsalltheimportantaspects
oftheconceptoflabourwelfare.
5.AccordingtoN.M.Joshi,welfareworkcoversalltheeffortswhichemployerstake
forthebenefitoftheiremployeesoverandabovetheminimumstandardsofworking
conditionsfixedbytheFactoriesActandoverandabovetheprovisionsofthesocial
legislationprovidingagainstaccident,oldage,unemploymentandsickness.
Onanalysisoftheabovedefinitions,asimpledefinitionofLabourWelfare
canbeframedasunder:
Labourwelfareimpliesthesettingupofminimumdesirablestandardsoftheprovision
offacilitieslikehealth,food,clothing,housing,medicalassistance,education,
insurance,jobsecurity,recreationetc.Suchfacilitiesenabletheworkerandhisfamily
toleadagoodworkinglife,familylifeandsociallife.
LabourWelfarethusembracesinitsfoldalleffortswhichhavetheirobjectof
improvementofhealth,safetywelfareandgeneralwellbeingoftheworkers.Itis
confinedtothoseactivitieswhichareundertakenstatutorilyorotherwise,insidethe
industrialpremisesoroutsidebyanyagency,government,employerswhichdonot
comeundersocialinsuranceconditions,andwhichleadtoimprovementinhealth,
efficiencyandhappinessofindustrialworkersandtheirfamiliese.g.recreational,
medical,educational,washing,bathing,transportfacilitiescanteensandcreches,etc.
Thus,thetermlabourwelfarecoversnotonlytheworkersbutalsotheirfamilies.

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