SHAH COMMISSION S FINDINGS

As the public sector trade unions go into the fight against the Janata government's economic policy, one vita) issue remains. Various unions have correctly pointed out that the reason why some sections of workers get lower wages is basically because they are unorganised and weak. Their wages can increase only if they are organised. But given their weakness, the responsibility of organising these workers ,is not theirs alone, it is even more the responsibility Of the workers in the already organised sectors of industry. The public sector includes in it a majority of the strongest unions in our country. Strong because of their numbers, their organisation and their key role in the Indian economy. But even in these very units there are large numbers of contract and seasonal labourers, who are often outside the -pale of the unions. The abolition of his system of contract labour can only be accomplished' if the permanent workers actively take up this cause and make it their responsibility to organise and support the contract labourers.