Wages, Inequality and Work Standards in Construction Sector: A Case Study of Inter-state Migrant Workers and Native Workers in Kerala
| Published date | 01 March 2024 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/00195561231204934 |
| Author | Sreedevi R.S.,P. Gopinath |
| Date | 01 March 2024 |
Wages, Inequality and
Work Standards in
Construction Sector:
A Case Study of Inter-
state Migrant Workers
and Native Workers
in Kerala
Sreedevi R. S.1 and P. Gopinath2
Abstract
The state of Kerala is experiencing an influx in migration from the northern states
of the country for the past decades. In order to study the present migration trend,
the article attempts to analyse the wages, employment and working patterns of
inter-state migrant workers. The article also compares the condition of inter-state
migrant workers to that of the native workers. This study looks at the types of
work that migrant workers are engaged in. It examines the inequality faced by the
migrant population compared to the native workers. The study also puts forward
how it is important to bring a decent work standard for inter-state migrant work-
ers so that it can reduce the inequality and discrimination faced by them.
Keywords
Labour policy, welfare, wage difference, labour rights, employment
Introduction
Kerala is a southern state in India which is known for its achievements in social
indicators, and the ‘Kerala Model of Development’ is much discussed in the devel-
opment discourse. Migration has brought a profound impact on the socio-economic,
Article
Indian Journal of Public
Administration
70(1) 124–139, 2024
© 2023 IIPA
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DOI: 10.1177/00195561231204934
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1 Department of Economics, School of Social Sciences, Christ University (Deemed to be), Bengaluru,
Karnataka, India
2 Centre for Electoral Management Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Maharashtra,
India
Corresponding author:
Sreedevi R. S., Department of Economics, School of Social Sciences, Christ University (Deemed to be),
Bengaluru, Karnataka 560076, India.
E-mail: sreedevithachom@gmail.com
Sreedevi R. S. and Gopinath 125
cultural and political aspects of the state as well. It is important to look at the migra-
tion trends in the state of Kerala and how the state treats inter-state migrants. The
role of the state to protect the rights and welfare of the migrants is very important,
especially in a state like Kerala where it has witnessed labour movements and politi-
cal mobilisation of labourers. The signicance of social reform movements is also
very much crucial. People moving to Kerala from other states and people migrating
out to other states and abroad have been part of the development process of the state.
It is important to observe the recent trends in migration, especially inter-state migra-
tion to Kerala and study the employment patterns of the migrants.
The internal migrants are poor and they come from backward communities
unlike international migrants. Studies have shown that migrants are predomi-
nantly from the lower social strata of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and
Other Backward Classes, and a majority of them are illiterate, landless labourers
and marginal farmers (Deshingkar & Start, 2003). This is related to low educa-
tional status and poorer asset base of the social groups. Migration is common
among the dalits and tribals as per some studies (Datta, 2020; Rao & Mitra, 2013).
The inequalities and difculties faced by migrants are taxing to their work life. An
important source of exclusion faced by the inter-state migrants is the categorisa-
tion of the migrants as ‘others’ by the host population. The identity-based dis-
crimination has deeper structural dimensions. There is a need for migrant support
system to deal with their welfare and protection (Krishnaraj, 2005). Because of
their ignorance and lack of political awareness, it becomes vital to make them
aware of their rights as workers. The migrant workers are also unaware of their
labour rights which need to be formalised in the jurisdiction.
Profile of Migrant Workers in Kerala
The inter-state migrant workers in Kerala have become an integral part of the economy,
and they have become one of the wealth creators in the state. It is estimated that more
than 25 lakh inter-state migrant workers are there in the state according to the study by
the Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation (Venkiteswaran & Narayana, 2013),
whereas there are 22.8 lakh emigrants living abroad as per the 2011 Migration Survey
(Rajan & Zachariah, 2012). It is interesting to look at the factors that led to the present
migration trends in the state. The state has experienced a mass migration of unem-
ployed labour force from the early 1970s, especially to the Gulf countries and some
Western countries. This was due to factors like the loss of jobs in agriculture, other
productive ventures and increase in educated people and demographic transition.
Increase in literacy of the people led to rise in educated unemployment in the state.
Rise in unemployment along with the migration of the educated manpower created a
shortage of skilled manpower in the state. It can be said that the state failed to provide
enough productive ventures and job openings for the educated people in the state and
they decided to move to urban centres and cities in other states in India and abroad
(Nair & Gopinathan, 1989). This created a gap in the labour force in Kerala. Even the
educated people were reluctant to take up semi-skilled and unskilled jobs in the state.
The state also failed to provide enough productive ventures to the educated people.
Fall in agricultural output along with a shift in employment from primary to secondary
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