Around 88% of the workforce of the country is engaged in unorganised sector and they are not getting adequate social security benefits. Few welfare schemes are being implemented by the Central Government for specific groups/sub-groups of unorganised workers such as beedi workers, cine workers, building and construction workers etc. Government are implementing welfare programmes for certain categories of unorganised sector workers and non-government organisations also provide social security to certain categories of workers. Central Government to provide certain welfare schemes to all groups of the unorganised sector workers, has enacted the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act 2008. This act has now been sub synced in the code on social security which is a common welfare approach.

Contract labour refers to a person, who has been hired to work in a company through a contractor for a specific work and period. Companies hire contractors who, in turn, recruit these workmen for different jobs. In order to prevent the ill-treatment of workers in any establishment and to ensure a healthier working environment for them, the contract labour regulation and abolition act was introduced in 1970. This act aims in abolition of contract labour and regulation of their service conditions wherever necessary through setting up of advisory boards to advise Central and State Government in administering the legislation and registration of establishments and contractors. This act has been sub synced in the occupational safety health on working conditions.

This Act is applicable to establishments and contractor employing 5 or more inter state workmen during any day in last 12 months. The Act also provides for registration of the establishments employing Inter-State migrant workmen and license for the contractor. This act has been sub synced in the occupational safety health on working conditions

The purpose of minimum wages is to protect workers against low pay. Minimum wages can also be one element of a policy to overcome poverty and reduce inequality, by promoting the right to equal remuneration for work of equal value.In order to improve the wage standards in industries and occupations in Asian countries, where the wages are low, a need of fixing the minimum wages were needed. This Act provides fixation by Provincial Governments of minimum wages for employments covered by schedule to be bill.

In some parts of the country a debtor or his descendants or dependants must work for the creditor without reasonable or no wages to fulfil his debt called Bonded Labour System. This act states that forced labour is an offence punishable in accordance with the law and an ordinance was promulgated by The Honourable President in 1975, where the bonded labour system was abolished and bonded labourers were freed and discharged from any obligation to do bonded work.

Labour Reforms:

The Code on Social Security act aims to amend and consolidate the laws relating to social security with the goal to extend social security to all employees and workers either in the organised or unorganised or any other sectors. This also extends the benefits of the social security schemes to the code to platform workers which are one of the leading employments generating sector.

This code seeks to regulate wage and bonus payments in all employments where any industry, trade, business, or manufacture is carried out. It will be applicable to all employees. For the workers working in the Central sectors, wages set by Central Government will be applicable and for the workers working in State Government sector, wages set by State Government will be applicable.

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The Occupational Safety, Health And Working Conditions Code, 2020 is a code to consolidate and amend the laws regulating the Occupational safety and health and working conditions of the persons employed in an establishment. The Act replaces 13 old central labour laws.

Industrial Relations Code, 2020 consolidates and amends the laws relating to Trade Unions, conditions of employment in industrial establishment or undertaking, investigation and settlement of industrial disputes. The bill was formulated according to the Report and Recommendations of the Second National Commission on Labour. The Industrial Relations Code Bill, 2020 proposed for amalgamating, simplifying and rationalising the relevant provisions of three Acts (i) Trade Unions Act, 1926, (ii) Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946, and (iii) Industrial Disputes Act, 1947