Contesting Class Consciousness Among Industrial Workers

The process of industrialization is imperative for the economic development of any country. Similarly the process of industrialization is important for the developing country like India where a large section of workforce is employed in the industrial sector. The neoliberal reforms and structural adjustment programmes have resulted in the unprotected labour standards of protective labour standards the weakening of the trade unions the diminishing role of the welfare state the substantial decrease in the labour cost and subcontracting of the production resulting in the increase in employment based on low wages and precarious work conditions. Industrialization has provided a lot of employment opportunities to a large section of population; however the workers are facing wide range of problems like unsafe working conditions long working hours and exploitation by the employer lower wages social insecurity job insecurity monetary problems fatigue compensation health issues and psychological issues. As an individual worker does not have much influence they tend to get together under trade unions to deal with the capitalists for the redressal of their problems. An indispensible entry point to the labour problems this book covers wide range of issues like scenario of industrialization in Kashmir working conditions prevalent within the industries problems faced by the workers and the formation of working class consciousness among the industrial workers. Various aspects of class consciousness have been detailed out in this book. The book further examines the nature of class consciousness that has emerged out of the problems faced by the industrial workers in Kashmir.