BACKGROUNDER
V. V. Giri National
Labour Institute (VVGNLI) is a premier Institute of Labour Research,
Training and Education. It was set up by the Ministry of Labour
in July 1974 as an autonomous body to undertake, aid and promote
research on its own or in collaboration with other agencies both
at national and international level. Its other important work
areas are to analyse specific problems that are encountered in
the planning and implementation of labour and allied programmes
and to suggest remedial measures and to establish and maintain
library and information services. In addition the Institute has
been assigned to undertake and assist in organising training and
education programmes, seminars and workshops.
The Institute, since
its inception has endeavoured through research, training and publications
to reach all the concerned sections on various aspects of labour
both in the organised and unorganised sectors. The focus of such
endeavours has been on the transfer of academic insight and understanding
related to all the aspects of labour for application to policy
formulation, legislation and action to ensure a just and better
place for labour in an egalitarian and democratic society.
RESEARCH
Research occupies
a primary place in the activities of the Institute. The subject
of research comprises a broad spectrum of labour-related issues
and problems, in both the organised and the unorganised sectors.
While deciding the topics of research, care is taken to identify
subjects and issues of topical concern and relevance to policy.
The institute continues to place greater emphasis on the problems
and issues of labour in unorganised sector in general and the
more disadvantaged among these such as child labour, women labour
and rural labour, in particular.
Research activities
also explore the basic needs of different groups of trainees such
as trade union leaders and organisers in both organised and unorganised
sectors, managers of public and private sectors, labour administrators
and volunteers of non-governmental organisations. There are three
Centres which carry out studies on major themes, which have been
identified by the Institute, related to research.
ACTION RESEARCH
FOR RURAL LABOUR
Action research is
a thrust area of research activities. The Institute undertakes
such research projects in rural areas to study problems of rural
workers, understand and analyse them for exploring possible ways,
means and methods to organise rural labourers.
The institute has
pioneered a unique education-cum-motivation programme, popularly
known as Rural Labour Camps for conscientisation and empowerment
of the rural labour. Over the years, this unique experiment has
been carried out with the objective of enhancing the capability
of the rural workers so that they are able to effectively participate
in development process.
The Institute has
embarked on a project for Organising Rural Labour for Effective
Participation in Development by way of using the camp methodology
in a concerted way. The main aim of this project is to develop
viable organisations in some districts of selected states.
INTEGRATED LABOUR
HISTORY RESEARCH PROGRAMME (ILHRP)
The Institute has
initiated an Integrated Labour History Research Programme, which
focuses, inter alia, on integrating and initiating research on
labour history and is perhaps the first of its kind in the country.
There are three components to the Programme.
Archives of Indian
Labour
The Institute has
set up of an Archives of Indian Labour, in collaboration with
the Association of Indian Labour Historians, (AILH). The Archives
is systematically preserving documents relating to the labour
movement, as well as historical documents generated by the sate
and the business enterprises. Contemporary documents and other
materials like personal narratives, video and audio material related
to labour have also been preserved in the Archives.
One of the key components
of the project has been setting up of a Digital Archives on Indian
Labour. The then Labour Minister Shri Sharad Yadav dedicated the
Archives to the nation on the International Labour Day (May 1,
2002). Since then the Archive is open for public use on the World
Wide Web.
Writing Labour History
The second key component
of the Programme is Writing of Labour History. In the first phase
of this component, a collection of essays on several key research
themes on Indian labour history will be produced. Leading specialists
in the field and members of the Labour History Programme in the
Institute will author these.
Interdisciplinary
Research
The third component
envisages Interdisciplinary Research in cooperation with other
centers of the Institute and diffusion of the results through
regular seminars and conferences.
PREVENTION OF
HIV/AIDS AT THE WORKPLACE
National AIDS Control
Organisation (NACO), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has
selected the V.V. Giri National Labour Institute as the nodal
Institute to coordinate the activities relating to Prevention
of HIV/AIDS at the Workplace. Accordingly, a Technical Resource
Group (TRG) consisting of eminent persons has been constituted
at WGNLI to provide the needed guidance in the formulation of
pragmatic future strategies for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS at
the Workplace. The TRG has already finalised a Status Paper on
the subject of Prevention of HIV/AIDS at the Workplace. This Paper
provides an analysis of emerging scenario in the labour market
to identify the sections most vulnerable in terms of health risks
like HIV/AIDS. It also highlights some of the major initiatives
launched by different social partners for addressing Prevention
of HIV/AIDS at the Workplace both at the national as well as at
he international levels. The analysis of the various programmes
is done in such a way as to identify he major features of the
workplace intervention strategies. The Status Paper also attempts
to suggest certain strategies for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS at
the Workplace and also the relevant methodologies to translate
these strategies into action.
NATIONAL RESOURCE
CENTRE ON CHILD LABOUR
The National Resource
Centre on Child Labour (NRCCL) was established with the objective
of developing the capabilities of individuals, groups and organisations
working towards the elimination of the problem of child labour.
The key target groups
of the centre includes the government, policy makers, planners
and decision makers, programme administrators, project directors
and functional staff, NGOs, trade unions, researchers, academicians
and media persons as well as employers and parents of child labourers.
At present the Centre is actively involved in Research, Training,
conducting workshops/seminars on child labour related issues for
the various targets groups mentioned above. The NRCCL has also
built up a repository of information on child labour which contains
documents, published and unpublished research reports and press
clippings.
The research activities
of NRCCL concentrate on industry-specific issues related to child
labour, apart from being involved in generating a database on
child labour. Some of the important studies completed and being
carried out under NRCCL includes :
- Case studies and situational analysis
of Child Labour in Sports Goods Industries of Jalandhar and
Merrut.
- Panchayati Raj and Child Labour
in Tamil Nadu.
- Tools for Convergence
- Child Labour in the Ghunghroo
Industry of Agra region
- Child Labour in 9 Home-based Prohibited
Industries in the Wake of Legislation.
The NRCCL also conducts
Training programmes for various social actors such as officers
of the Central and State Labour Departments, trade unions, researchers
and academicians, NGOs and others on issues relating to their
roles in combating the problem of child labour.
CENTRE FOR TRAINING
& EDUCATION
The V.V. Giri National
Labour Institute is committed to promote a better understanding
of labour problems and to find the avenues and means to tackle
them. To achieve this, the Institute, through its varied activities
attempts to provide education and training with regard to labour
issues in an integrated manner. While research activities, among
other things explore the basis needs of different groups, such
data as are generated in research activities are used for designing
new and modifying existing training programmes. Constant feedback
from the participants is used for updating the training curricula
as well as redesigning training modules.
Educational and training
programmes of the institute may be viewed as potential vehicles
of structural change in labour relations. They can help to generate
a more positive attitude for the promotion of harmonious industrial
relations. In the rural areas, the programmes attempt to develop
leadership at the grass root level that can build and support
independent organizations to look after the interests of the rural
labour. Training programmes equally emphasize attitudinal change,
skill development and enhancement of knowledge.
The training programmes
use an appropriate mix of lectures, group discussions, case studies,
audio-visual presentation and behavioural science techniques.
Apart from the Institute’s faculty, guest faculty are also invited
to the training programmes.
The Labour Administration
Programmes are designed for Labour Administrators and Officers
of the Central and the State Governments. The programmes cover
a wide range of subjects on labour administration, conciliation,
labour welfare and enforcement. These are residential programmes
held either at the Institute or at selected centres of the country.
In addition, faculty and other support is also provided to State
Labour Institute to conduct such programmes.
CERTIFICATE COURSE
ON LABOUR IN DEVELOPMENT
The Institute in
collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Open University
(IGNOU) is launching a Certificate Course on ‘Labour in Development’.
The main objective of this Course is empowerment of the working
class in general and unorganised labour in particular. Trade union
workers and leaders functionaries of NGOs and Panchayati Raj Institutions,
district development agencies, social activities, rural educators
and individuals intending to be organisers/educators are the clientele/learner
groups for this programme. The specific objectives of the programme
are:
- To provide awareness about the
factors responsible for labour problems.
- To impart knowledge about labour
laws
- To share information regarding
various welfare schemes for the weaker sections for improving
their economic and working conditions
- To pinpoint the sources of leakage
of the development schemes/programmes
- To promote organisation of the
unorganised.
CONSULTANCY
One of the mandates
of he Institute is to provide consultancy services to the organisation
on heir problems of industrial relations and related matters.
Consultancy does not only provide a practical edge to the research
of the Institute but is also a source of revenue. Consultancy
assignments include in company training, diagnostic research and
internal change programmes both in public and private enterprises.
Such efforts have concentrated on promoting organisational development,
workers’ participation, work redesign and harmonious industrial
relations in large organisations, like Bharat Heavy Electricals
Ltd.
NETWORKING
The Institute with
its limited resources located at one place can not cope with the
training needs of the country. Moreover, it cannot adequately
address all the needs and problems of labour keeping in mind he
vastness of the area as to the regional and sectoral disparities
of the labour markets. In this context, a proper integration of
the activities of the labour institutions and organisations with
similar objectives will help to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks.
The Institute has, therefore, taken a number of steps to institutionalise
the networking mechanisms with State Labour Institutes, Central
Board for Workers’ Education, Labour Bureau and other institutions
with similar objectives in the field of both training and or research.
The Institute is also a member of the ILO/JIL Networking of Labour
Institutes of Asia and Pacific.
