The first of May celebrated as the International Workers Day—more commonly known as the Labour Day—is an annual reminder of the contribution of workers to the growth of society in their own ways. From daily wage labourers to those in corporate firms—all have been contributing selflessly in their own capacities, rendering services to society. Contributions of different sizes and duration, all have been equally important, always.
Indeed the pandemic has been a mirror reflecting the brutality of capitalism on poor labourers, seasonal or daily wagers. While the crawls will soon reach the middle class too and gradually scale higher on the privileged working classes as well if the present situation continues. Yet, the devastation it has created in the lives of those within the bracket of people earning through physical labour and meagerly cannot be overlooked.
The policies of various state governments and the central government have invited much flak on the mistreatment and mismanagement of these labourers. Ration and monetary help have been promised, yet they are not delivered rightly, and even if they are, there have been instances of foul play and dirty politics.
The lockdown announcement wasn’t made keeping in mind the plight of all workers on the same scale. There have been instances of death due to hunger and instances where people have died on their way back home on foot only because they didn’t have a livelihood any longer and sustenance was difficult. This makes one thing crystal clear about our system: the scale on which all our workers are weighed is not the same.
Most of those working in corporate firms have the provision of what’s been called “Work from home”. And that has been enough for a while now to sustain livelihoods of many, but the uncertainty still lingers. But what is appalling is that while this section of the working class has not yet succumbed to the consequences of the uncertain lockdown, the plight of the migrant and daily wage workers is right before us. The social implications have been always there, but sadly, this has penetrated the economic state as well.
As a rule of nature, it has always been the most vulnerable that faces the wrath of a calamity most mercilessly, and this is what precisely has been happening since the pandemic uncovered. The policies are structured just enough to save those having white-collar jobs, and nothing much is strategically planned for the vulnerable classes. It’s all crystal clear. Like every year, today, we are celebrating Labour Day globally as an ode to those who keep society functional.
The WhatsApp statuses, Facebook and Instagram posts will be on the rounds today, celebrating the working classes of the whole world, but there is something to look beyond too. Is the system doing enough to meet the needs of all its workers equally? Does it weigh workers from all walks of financial background on the same scale of human rights?
With so much already on the rounds of how the system itself has mistreated them, let’s contemplate if the celebration of Labour day has been a mere sham all these years or has it really helped honour the labourers whose menial jobs have been the building blocks of society? It’s time for introspection, after all, the pandemic has taught us a lot, and this day teaches the importance of labourers.