Indians among world’s most overworked, underpaid workers: Study

According to a recently published report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Indians are among the world’s most overworked people. Additionally, they also earn the lowest minimum statutory wage in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Bangladesh. 

The paper titled ‘Global Wage Report 2020-21: Wages and Minimum Wages in the Time of COVID-19’ says that people in India work for an average of 48 hours per week, which puts the country on the 5th spot globally among countries with long working hours. The top four countries are Gambia, Mongolia, Maldives and Qatar, a Mint report that looked into the ILO data said.

Also read: ‘Most severe crisis since Great Depression’: UN says equivalent of 255 million jobs lost last year

The study notes that well-paid workers, both self-employed and salaried, are the ones who overwork. People in urban areas work more than their rural counterparts, the study adds.

The report adds that men put in longer hours at work than women in both rural and urban areas, still, the work hours are longer in urban areas. 

In 2019, India carried out the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), its first time-use survey in two decades that found similar trends.

Also read: World’s workers lost $3.5 trillion in wages amid pandemic: UN

Meanwhile, the ILO report ranked countries as per the gross monthly minimum wage levels. It said that Indians earn $215 (about Rs 15, 823) per month, higher only than Bangladeshis.

As per the report, Indians spent very little time on rest that restores the work-life balance. Male workers spend less than a tenth of their day on leisure activities, with women even less than that.

The Centre’s new labour code proposes to allow companies a four-day workweek. However, the sacrosanct 48 work hours a week can lead to a 12-hour shift.