Mine Labour issues: Caste and Gender

Mines Labours are divided into castes and gender. Their lots of problems are raising at the working place, which are exploited to them.

I visited to some mines for the data collections about the problems of mine workers and spreading the awareness about the scheme of DMFT. People don’t know about the DMFT. There is no any NGO, which is working for the mine labour issues. So, people are not aware about their rights. The workers who are working in mines 95% to 98% are  ST and SC. Very few upper caste people are working, but their work as a manager or secretary. At only one mine of mica I find 6 upper caste mine worker (gurjar-men and women), others are bhil community. In most of the mines (granites), used the machines for cutting the stones. There are working most of the upper caste men, not women. machines , used for the more production in less time. They are giving the training to worker and they become a skilled labour. So, there daily earning is 350 to 400 Rs. Where, there is no machine work, there are working scheduled caste and scheduled tribe. It's a very hard work. Sometimes its very dangerous to them. Their daily earning is 250 to 300 Rs.

The wages are depends upon the gender. Because, they divided the work into two parts. Hard work and light work. In their perspective men  are hard worker, who are break the stones and women are light worker, who are collecting these stones. So, their wages are less than the men. If men got Rs 300, women got Rs 250 or 200.

At, the mines some girls was working and their age is below the 18 years. When I asked to them about their education, they said that is, “ If we go to the school, so who will do the work and how can we get the food.” These girls didn’t get an admission and they didn't saw the face of school. There is no consciousness about the education. Their first question is to solve the problem of stomach.

At the workplace there is no any type of washrooms for women and men. There is no pure water for drinking. There is no any type of sheds for the rest of labours. There is lack of basic resources.

The ownership of the upper caste on the mines sector is exploited to the lower caste. Men are dominated on the work, by that reason their wages are more than women.

Sharad Kodane

Plights of ex-Mine Workers: Reviewing the role of Machinery and Market

Machines in its simple term defined as tools for easing in performing any tasks or reducing human labour. It is used to simplify the activities and enhancing efficiency in any productive activities. Economically, machines have always substituted human labour and still travelling on the same path. This substitution has always benefitted (in form of surplus value) those who were controlling the economic activity. This post is a small narration of ex-mineworkers and how the technologies have trapped them in a cage from where it is very difficult to come out.

In the modern era, machines and technological innovations attached to it have made human lives much better and connected. But on the other hand, it has many side effects too. Machinery by and large in productive activity perceived as the machines of big sizes. And it is the big machines which paved the way for industrialism, and then western colonialism, capitalism and the imperialism ultimately. It was the mastery in technologies which has many times helped many conquerors to win large land and made them rule and enslave large populations. The socio-economic impacts of capital-induced machinery can be understood in terms of migration, destruction of the agrarian economy and small-scale rural production along with the exploitation of people and resources.

This post is a piece of reflections which the author has constructed while having his field visits to the mine-affected village of Udaipur. Mines in that village (Masaron ki Ubari) started in mid-80s, mainly for the green marbles. Before the arrival of mines, the economy of the village purely a tribal economy where the concept of money and individualism was negligible. The communitarian lifestyle of the villagers started getting faded as soon as the mines get started. Many people (mainly the youngsters) started getting employed in the mines. As the number of mines increased, a majority of the population started getting employed in that (but women never find a space in the whole industry). With the advent of different mines in different locations, the people in the village also started getting jobs in other places too. In an essence, a generation of youth got engulfed in the mines.

In the last decade of 20th century, the advancement in technology and arrival of heavy machinery make easier the tasks of taking out the marble blocks, but, on the same time, the unemployment and firing of employees become a common phenomenon. But as the number of mines was increasing the people either got adjusted to other mines in the same village or migrated to other places for working in the marble mines. Meanwhile, the depth of many mines gets increased and there was a huge demand of dairy cranes, bulldozers, wire saw and other heavy machinery in order to take out the marble blocks in a less amount of time. Those machineries not only increased the efficiency but also producing high benefits. Labourers started getting training of those machines and their skills get centred upon running the required tools. Many other jobs especially the technical ones also get added to the workforce of mines.

Image source: Hindustan TimesAug 5, 2017

The negative trend started in the first decade of the 21st century when the market of green marble gets dropped. The prices of marble sharply fall and the mine owners started investing in other sectors in the same phase the tender system get emerged. By introducing tenders to the mines, the mine owners get relieved from the responsibilities towards the workers and other employees. With this the exploitation of works gets started in terms of security, wages, working hours and other labour rights. In between of all this, many of the workers were forced to leave mines and in many of the cases, the local workers get replaced by the migrant workers. Much of the tasks start getting performed by machines and human labour became a small supplement in the whole process i.e. operating machines became the only thing for human labour. As the market gets slowed out of green marble the number of mines gets halved within 4-5 years of span.

The closing of a huge number of mines resulted in the unemployment of many mineworkers who have worked in mines for more than one and a half decade. This lead to migration and those who didn’t go outside started doing daily wage construction work. The most negative impact of this was on the population which have crossed their fifties since they were neither having any other skills to earn money nor their phycho-social structure allowed them to work as a wage labourer. In most of the cases, the author found that a majority of them are staying at home and helping the farm works or get suffered from any diseases like breathing problems, backache and even lose eye sights. The main issue with them is that they are not having any providential funds or any sort of pension to take care of themselves in the increasing age. The amount of land and livestock is also not too much which could be a good source of income. Though they are self-sufficient in case of urgent needs they are either supported by their family members or relatives or become helpless.   

In the whole narration, mine workers become a subject in the hands of machinery and mine owners. Although it is argued by many ex-mineworkers that the market of green marble slowed down due to the opening of other mines in different places and also arrival cemented tiles which look quite similar to the green marble. Ultimately made them unemployed. But the cost they and their life had paid to the mines can't be compensated.

Thank you.

Mohammad Imran

Socio-cultural structure of villages in Bhilwara district

I wandered in some villages for data collection of mine Labour in the duration of block placement. On the same time, I observed the socio-cultural structure of villages in Bhilwara district, Rajasthan. I used the approach of “perspectives from below’ for the analysis of this structure.

Mewari is the local language of this district. Because, its a area of mewad region, which was the kingdom of Maharana pratap. By the name of this region, language known as mewari. So, sometime it was tough to me for understand.The caste system is functioning very strongly in this region. The structure of village is based on the caste system, which is discriminate and exploit to lower castes. Scheduled castes houses are outside or lower side of the villages. Caste is the identity of everyone. Without caste they don’t have any identity. Everyone asks caste to someone, when he meet first time. Exa. “Which is your caste?” saying is…Balai, bhangi, bhil(tribe) vaishnav, Jat, Rajput, Gurjar. There is no concept of surname. So, the identity is shows on the caste.

Some villages names are on the caste, which are showing the caste identity and the domination of their caste in this village. Exa., Brahmano ki sareri, Balai kheda. Every caste group in the village, shows their caste identity, where they are staying. Exa., Balai mohalla, Bhangi mohalla, Jat mohalla, Rajaput mohalla. People write their caste name on the vehicles and T-shirts. Exa., Jat, Gurjar, Rajaput. Their concept of “we” means, their caste. Their caste is everything to them.

Upper caste people has lots of land, so they are doing farming and taking a several production. Lower caste people has land, but its very few, which is not enough to their livelihood. So, they are doing Labour work with farming. Bhil (Tribe) community is socially-educationally very backward, they don’t have land. So, they (men and women-both) are doing the work as a Labour in the mines. The owner of mines are upper caste, which are exploit to them. Proportion of education is very low in every community (upper and lower caste). Only meghawal (balai) community is taking an education within the scheduled caste, which is conscious about their plight. They are agitating against the caste system and struggling for their rights.

Religion is doing very strong work, which is based on superstition and illogic. It is dominated on every caste. When I met to two scheduled caste boys, which are belongs to bhangi caste (valmiki), we discussed with them about their issues of religion. They asked to us about our caste and they said, that is they are belongs to bhangi caste and we are “ Jaibhim wale”. But, they are practicing Hindu religion. They said, cow is their sacred animal, so the slaughter of cow is not fare, its against to our religion. They have tease about the Muslim community. Peoples don’t aware about the religious issues.

Child marriages are happening till now, when child don’t conscious about them and their body. When they don’t take their decision. I met a teacher, he did their children marriages under the age of 18. It is happening in poor people and Dalit community.

Ramdev baba meghwal- is a god, which is dominated on every caste. According to meghawal community, its a god of scheduled caste and upper caste saying its god of them. Now is a season of ramdev baba yatra. So, people are going for that by walking from very long distance with colorful flags. There is a drawing of baba ramdev, who is sitting on the horse. Every village has a temple of baba ramdev. Before, some year ago, journalist Bhanwar meghwanshi wrote a book on baba ramdev and he proved that, its not a god, baba ramdev was born in meghawal community and did some social reforms.

Women has wear the traditional dresses of Rajasthan. Very few women are using the saris and salwar kamij. “Ghunghat” /(padada paddhati ) tradition is continuous till today in villages. Women covered their face by the odhani , when they go to the outside of home. When  any elder man come her house she covered her face and they don’t sit on the chair. They have sit on the land.

Men has tie  the “pagdi” on the head, which is traditional. But, its also a castiest. Because, its  decide a colour. It means which colour can use the particular caste person. Every caste has decided a colour of their pagdi. If this rule is not follow any lower caste, so upper caste beat him and happened the atrocities. Before some years ago this incident was happened. It means “pagdi” is also a identity of their caste.

Conclusion:

Its my overall observation of this area, which is saying about the caste, religion, gender and traditional issues. So, there is a need to education and social consciousness. Now Dalit student taking an education (meghawal community) in Rajasthan, but its their primal phase. Change will be come after the long struggle, by the way of Ambedkarite movement.

Sharad D. Kodane

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Cultural Impacts of Mining on Tribes: Reflections from Massaron ki Obri, Udaipur.

If we talk about tribe society, first thing comes to our mind are land, forest, culture, traditions, customs, rituals, and it is part of their life for more than 5000 years, But due to the intervention of non- tribes into the tribal area the base of their life has been destroyed. Through government and its administrative bodies, tribes have been always forced to develop in a way which is not relevant to their life. In a mining village, where I am doing my fieldwork I noticed so many things which are showing how their life and culture has been affected and damaged in a systematic way.

Mining started in this village around the 1980s and all of the owners of the mines were non-tribals as well as outsiders. So due to mines, they lost their land, they started working as a laborer in mines. Mines owners started exploiting them by taking more work, giving fewer wages,  and not giving any kind of physical and social securities. So, they started earning daily wages, before that they were not conscious about making money as earlier they were not dependent on anyone, and they were producing most of the things in the village but as now their land has been captured by the outsider's now they have to manage everything by money. Therefore, their life started moving from traditional life to modern life, they started saving money, they started sending their children's to school, started making labor unions to fight against various discrimination or for their rights. So due to all these activities, their discrimination by mine owners reduced at some level. It caused to reduce the surplus of the owners as they have to provide better safety, better wages and limited working hours. Because of this, the mine's owner started recruiting laborers from other places and stopped recruiting local people as they were more empowered, have more knowledge and were united while the non-locals were not united, have limited knowledge of politics of mining and they work more hours then locals without complaining much about wages and safety. Currently, the local people don't have their land as well as they lost their job in mines as more than 70 percent of the laborer in mines in this village are non-locals. The people coming from other places are very poor and don't have any kind of unity as they all come from different places and have different identity, they work more hours and are staying very close to mines, due to Safety Reason many labourers die while working, if local die while working in mines they get compensation around Rs. 12-15 lakh as they are united and they disturb work of the mines, while if non-locals dies they get 1-2 lakh as compensation as they are not that aware of their rights as well as they all come from different places and in very small groups so they keep quiet and take whatever is given by the owners. Mines owner don't want locals as a laborer as they ask for many things and they are less expected to be in compromising position.

Due to the salary (whitewater) coming from mines in farms has destroyed farms productivity, due to heavy blasting in mines many animals died and grassland is declining due to pollution and as wastage of mines were dumped on grassland, the wastage is so much that it made artificial mountain there. So in the consequence of it, people's standard of living declined rapidly, they lose everything land, forest, animals, culture, and traditions. Their children's left school as their parental income decreased as their parents are not working in the mines, so their children's migrated to other places to work. Due to mines many people are facing so many health-related issues but can't do anything. Earlier they had health-related issues which are common diseases, but now due to mines they have a different kind of diseases, and they don't have any traditional solution for it and therefore it is very difficult for them to survive without basic health facilities and limited financial resources.

So, the tribes of the village are facing so many crises, they lost their land which is their identity, their part of life. They lost employment and there are many reasons for it like- many mines are closing, mines owner hires non-local workers and use of machines increased. The workers are not that comfortable doing other work than mine work as they were working in mines for a long time, they have learned only skills of working in mines, therefore, they can't do any other work than what they were doing in mines. Their farm has been destroyed as polluted water from mines comes in their farm, their forest is declining due to mines, their livestock is almost in an ending position. Due to heavy blasting, structures of their homes became very weak, the atmosphere of the village is also polluted, groundwater went to deep. Apart from it, the health of the people of the village is also a serious issue. So the Tribes in this village is facing very serious issues, as due to mines they are losing their cultural heritage and on the other hand, they became economically deprived and dependent. 

Epistemology of Minimum Wages: Exploring Ground realities through the Lens of Mine Workers

Whenever it is discussed about the minimum wage the neoclassical and Keynesian paradigm is discussed in the theoretical domain. But when it comes to the application of principles given by both of these paradigms at the ground, it becomes unpragmatic in a greater extent. This post is an attempt to describe the question of the minimum wage from the vantage point of mineworkers and their experiences around it.

Minimum wage is defined as the lowest amount of wage permitted by the laws for different kinds of productive activity. In most of the countries, minimum wage and macroeconomics go hand to hand. In fact, fluctuations in the minimum wage are very much dependent upon the macroeconomics of any country. The journey of minimum wage mainly started with industrialisation (colonisation) and gets legitimacy with the formation of trade unions and international organisations like ILO. The Global Financial Crisis (1929) and the alternatives provided by macro-economists in order to maintain the industrial relations is somehow perceived as the benchmark for the theoretical domain of it. John Keynes is still popularly discussed when it comes to the theoretical discussions on minimum wages. The four principles provided by him is still relevant for trade union movements. The four-popular principle that is discussed in the Keynesian paradigm are firstly, any increment should affect a sufficient number. Secondly, adjustment of minimum should be done on a regular basis. Thirdly, any increase in the amount of minimum wage should be done in accordance with the trend in productivity growth in addition to the inflation rate. Lastly, the wage should be increased at the level of the average wage so that the wage gap could be minimised. In contrary to this, the neoclassical paradigm has provided the principle of negative employment effect. In simple terms, it should be decided by the employee on the basis of the surplus amount earned at a particular time. This also claims that deciding minimum wages may cost a negative impact on the overall production. See also (Working Paper: The theoretical debate about minimum wages by ILO from https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/96384/1/glu-wp_no-6.pdf ).

Now, I would like to reflect minimum wage provisions in India through the case of mineworkers of Rajasthan. As per the constitution, every state government is eligible to make provisions on minimum wages if the industries or subjects come under its jurisdiction. As per 2018, the minimum wage in Rajasthan ranges between 213 rupees to 283 rupees depending upon the category of a worker. Currently, the government has divided workers into four major categories i.e. unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and high skilled. But in reality, most of the workers are underpaid. Through the field experiences, I came to know that workers are being paid on the basis of minimum wages fixed under MNREGA which is below 200 in Rajasthan. The situation is worse in those mines where there is a tender system. Under the tender system of mines, most of the workers have to work more than 12 hours and they are paid equally devoid of their quality of work. The mineworkers under companies are in slightly better conditions and wherever labour unions are working honestly.

But the question is whether defining minimum wage can do everything or is there a need to focus more on proper implementations. Though there are several other models like that of Living Wage, which is focused upon providing wages to the labourers in accordance to the ‘minute value’ of the work and a standardised consumption in terms of money. But in all these models, social background is missed completely like caste. And in Indian reality, skills are very much defined through the traditional occupations of different castes. Wages played an important role in defining the financial status of a person and it is the skill which sets its foundation but sometimes it is the social position (like caste) which defines a person’s wage. The mining sector in India is considered to be an unsafe and unhealthy occupation. Therefore, in Indian reality mineworkers are mainly from historically, socially and economically disadvantaged groups i.e. mainly the Dalits and Tribes. Now, the question is whether the social deprivation should be given value while defining the minimum or living wages or it should be completely defined under the premise of macroeconomics.

Mines and Livestock: A Tribal Experience from Rajasthan

  In general, tribal society is perceived to be self-efficient in which the produces made by the livestock played a key role. Livestock not only provides the source of foods but they also boost their capabilities to have other goods. Different surveys have shown a boost in the number of livestock in India but those data weren’t able to capture the changes in the number of livestock of those communities which were traditionally engaged in rearing animals for their daily needs. This post is focused upon the effects of mining over the livestock keeping capability of tribes of Rajasthan. In addition to this, the post will try to capture the impact of the decreased number of livestock and the reason behind it among the tribes. 

Mining is not a contemporary phenomenon, but the modernity led mining for industrialisation has been devastating for many communities especially the indigenous peoples. Here the modernity not only diverted the interests of indigenous peoples in the name of development but also disturbed their economy by forcing people to work in their modern institutions like industries. Livestock in tribal society has an important role in maintaining the availability of resources. In many places, the tribal economy is mainly dependent upon their land (agriculture), forest (for fruits and fuel) and livestock (for flesh and milk) and all these are part of their identity. The process of mining has affected all three aspects more or less equal but for this post, I would like to highlight the livestock aspect. 

The data collected by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries clearly show a 4.51 percent increase in the number of cows and buffaloes (Livestock census, 2012). Along with this, the National Dairy Development Board data suggests that there is more than 5 percent growth in the overall milk production in the last five years (2015-16). But these data were unable to capture the reality of those communities who were traditionally engaged in rearing and herding of animals. From the field experiences in tribal area of Udaipur and discussions with the elder people of the society, it was analysed by me that the livestock has decreased in a good strength. Now I would like to paraphrase one statement given by an elder person ‘In our childhood every house was having a good amount of livestock and us as children were used to handle them while grazing…we play with them, wash them in the lakes, and decorate them in festivals…. But currently very fewer houses are having animals and even they have the number is quite low…’

From the above-given statement, it is quite evident that how the phenomenon of mining has affected the livestock keeping capability of the tribes. In fact, this was shared by many of the villagers and when asked about the perceived reasons that mines are the X-factor of this process. In other words, mines have heavily affected the forest, grazing land and natural water sources which are resources for livestock management. It was alleged by many that, most of the dumps of mines are being thrown upon grazing land and there are very few grazing lands available right now. The open blasting in the mines have killed many animals and the leftover mines sometimes troubled animals to fall into the deep of hundreds of feet. Whereas the forest regulations and its misuse by authorities have restricted tribal entry to their forest for fodder and other requirements of the animals. Apart from this, the destruction of the forest has disturbed the food chain and the carnivorous animals (like tigers) used to make prey to the goats and cows. 

Photo by Satish Makadiya

In addition to this, a majority of people are either working in the mines or migrating to other cities in search of livelihood. It is quite evident from the people experiences that how mines have affected their lifestyles and made them vulnerable. Because the modernity led industrial mining have shifted tribal's traditional economy from self-efficient to dependent.

Thanking You in Anticipation

Mohammad Imran

Tender System and Rights of Mineworkers: A Critical Reflection from the Field

                                  

Tender system is not new to Indian economic system and in the functioning of the state. In the mainstream way, tendering is debated around the theme of Public-Private Partnership. But, a very little is discussed about the tender system within the private sector. Taken from the field experiences (in Udaipur, Rajasthan), this post is an attempt to unravel the bitter realities of the tender system in the mining sector and its negative impact on the labour rights.

Tender system is generally debated around the construction sector and if any public enterprise (like oil and railways) opens up to the private players. Whenever such debates happen, the focal points of such debates are centred upon the amount of money on which each tender was sold and which companies got the maximum number of tenders. It is only the news of corruption that highlights the faults of the tender system otherwise it is projected as “time and money saver strategy”. Nobody cares and want to discuss what happens to the labourers if one sees the construction of roads and buildings they can easily found many workers living in the tin sheds. Whenever anything happens there is no news surrounded on their rights even if they get killed, other than the numbers and compensation granted by the state. In one sentence, there is a complete silence on their rights and dignity not only from the state but also from the civil society.

Photo by Satish Makadiya

Mining in India is a subject of Union list (Seventh Schedule) and the parliament of India has the legitimacy to make regulations on the issues related to it. In order to make a “good environment” for the private investors, the post-LPG reform period in India has seen a continuous dilution in labour laws. (See also India’s Labour Law Changes by ActionAid on https://www.actionaidindia.org/aadocument/India%E2%80%99s%20Labour%20Law_%20FINAL%20PRINT%20-%20WEBSITE.pdf ). Whether in terms of Providential funds, proper compensation or formation of labour unions private owners were provided many loopholes to find the easiest way to get out of the labour related issues in which the tender system has played a fine role. Since there is no strict jurisdiction made upon the tender owner to provide facilities to the employees, therefore the labourers which work under this system are often get exploited. Now, I would like to contextualise this argument with the case of a mineworker.

Mr John (Changed name) is a mineworker and still working in the same mine where he started his work 27 years ago. He is a tribe and hasn’t studied much, though he is good at his skills. When he started his work, he was employed under a private company and was getting some facilities under the labour laws. He was getting three paid leaves in a month and bonus on different occasions. Along with this, he was not forced to work more than 8 hours and for overtime, he was paid accordingly. But four years before there was demand arose for the establishment of trade union where the workers can express their concerns. That demand took a political mileage with the involvement of local politicians and the mine owner didn’t get impressed with this. He distributed all his mine leases into multiple tenders. All the tender purchaser were confidants of the mine owner. Two years earlier John met an accident in his chest and was at bedrest for two months. He was given an amount of five thousand from the tender owner and was advised to not take further this issue. After this, John has a continuous pain in the chest and he has developed some problems in breathing too. Now John has to work for 12 hours a day and paid the minimum wage of 332 per day despite having the experience and expertise in the field. He didn’t get any paid holiday and not even paid for over time. With the introduction of heavy machinery and the advancement of technologies, in the last three years, the number of workers in his mine has decreased from 40 to10. The workers who were asked to leave were neither provided with any amount like that of PF nor any alternative livelihood. Most of them have worked more than 15 years with Mr John in the same mines. So, Mr John is still doing the same job because he doesn’t have any alternative mean of earning nor have much agricultural land.

Now the question comes who is responsible for this, the company or the tender owner?.... But before proving one a guilty it should be more focused by social workers on the possible ways of saving millions of workers like John from the exploitation of the tender system. Simply removing the tender system cannot work because everything has its pros and cons and the responsibility of conscious citizens is to create ways where human rights can be achieved in an effective manner.

Labour Rights are also Human Rights.

A heartfelt thanks to Real Mr John for his courage to speak the truth.

Thanking you in Anticipation

Mohammad Imran