PROBLEMS OF UNORGANIZED (AGRICULTURAL) WORKERS IN COIMBATORE

In India around 35 crore people are working in the unorganized sector and the number is on the rise. Unorganized workers (UW) have increased manifold post independence. UW contribute 50% to the Gross Domestic Product (according to National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganized Sector i.e. NCEUS). Around 52% of UW’s are engaged in agriculture and allied sector and they constitute more than 90% of the labour work force. Agricultural workers are disadvantaged rural groups such as small, subsistence farmers, tenants and sharecroppers, the unemployed and the landless. They are entitled to minimum wages, no employment during bad weather, low and irregular salaries, unequal wages for male and female workers, no standard daily working hours and no public holiday. The face work place problems like lack of dignity, seasonal unemployment and harassment. They undergo discrimination at work place and experience poor working conditions. So it is of utmost importance to look into the plight of this poverty-stricken and downtrodden class of India. The present study aims to study the socio-economic conditions, the working conditions and the problems faced by agricultural workers.