Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1850495947

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-233603

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: His Majesty's Stationery Off.

Year of publication:: 1931

Scope:: xviii, 580 S.; graph. Darst., Kt.

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter III. - The employment of the factory worker

Collection:: Economics Books

THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE FACTORY WORKER. 29 The Bombay Municipality, on the other hand, has recently applied compulsion to two wards chiefly inhabited by millworkers, and we recom- mend to municipalities that wards of this type should be regarded as having a special claim where compulsion can be applied. We would also call attention to the desirability of bringing the upper age-limit for compulsory education at least up to 12 years, the minimum age for factory employment. The present system in Bombay, under which compulsory education stops at 11, involves the loss of a valuable year and jeopardises the results already achieved. We suggest that employ- ers might assist, wherever possible, by lending buildings in the workers’ lines or the factory compounds, by equipping schools and in other ways. Moreover the combination of the educational experience of the authorities and the practical wisdom of employers might lead to valu- able improvements in the ordinary curricula. Promotion of the Workman. One advantage which education will bring to the industrial worker will be the opening of avenues of promotion at present, closed to him. Ordinarily the jobber’s post is the highest to which a workman can aspire. It has been customary to fill the ranks above the jobber in various ways, all of which involve the importation of men from outside, and India presents in this respect a contrast to nearly all industrial Goun- tries. The loss is great, both to industry and to the workers, who have none of the incentive given elsewhere by the possibility of securing the prizes of their calling. It is true that in every country (as in every profession) the prizes are few ; but their existence has a strong effect on the work of the many, and particularly in developing the qualities of the more ambitious men. The effect of the absence of prospects is especially marked on the jobbers. These men, selected from a large number of fellow-workmen, would in other countries form the recruiting ground for the higher subordinate ranks. The incentive of promotion would stimulate energy and integrity. The fact that the jobber has ordinarily no prospect of going further strengthens the tempta- tion to take the fullest advantage of the position he has attained, and we believe that, if such a prospect (and the education necessary for it) existed, a different type of jobber would emerge. To industry the loss is as serious as to the worker. In other countries the constant selection and promotion of men from the ranks maintains the vigour of industry, As a rule the successful supervisor should know the workman’s task, not by observation, but through intimate experience as a workman. A mere knowledge of the processes and machines isinsufficient ; there must be that deeper, almost psychological, knowledge which evades definition, but which is born of sharing the mentality and the life of the operative, The deep cleavage between the ranks and the super- visory grades in Indian industry is a constant source of weakness. Apprentices. The lack of supervisors in India was at first made good in all industries . by importing Kuroveans. In recent. vears the cost of the

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