Dynamics of Migration in the Labour Market of Kerala

Contents: 1. Introduction. 2. Review of literature. 3. Methodology of the study. 4. Dimension and magnitude of inmigrant labourers in the labour market of Kerala: an overview. 5. Inmigrant labourers in the construction sector of Kerala labour market reflection on wage, employment and its determinants. 6. Social security measures Vis-à-vis working and living conditions of the inmigrant labourers in the construction sector of Kerala. 7. Summary and conclusion. References. Appendices. Author index. Subject index.

Migration has become a development strategy which is quite ubiquitous in all the spheres of economic activity progressing in leaps and bounds in the global, national as well as regional scenario. Labour market in Kerala is unique by its nature, composition and buoyance of inmigration. Higher wage rate for the unskilled labourers, large employment opportunities, shortage of local labourers and high level of educated unemployment are the hall marks of the domestic labour market leaving larger space for the inflow of unskilled and semi-skilled inmigrant labourers into the state which is known for its emigration into the rest of the world. The heavy influx of inmigrant labourers is happening from different parts of the country namely West Bengal, Orissa, Assam, Karnataka and Bihar to the regional economy Kerala and the total magnitude of the labourers are estimated as 25 to 40 lakhs. It is quite relevant to examine the dynamism happening in the labour market of Kerala where there is the heavy influx of inmigrant labourers in every walks of the economic activity of the state especially in the case of construction sector (60%). The study selected Kannur, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram district in Kerala as the study area by giving due weightage to incidence of urbanization, rural urban classification and ownership of construction activities. The study analysed about the extent and magnitude of inmigrant labourers in the labour market of Kerala and is found that Kerala economy experiences a structural shift from ‘domestic labour centric’ to ‘inmigrant labour centric’ labour market having larger implication to the domestic labour market. The wage and employment differences and its determining factors between the inmigrant and local laboures in the study are found that there exist glaring wage differences between the inmigrant and local labourers. The decomposition of wage determinant revealed that ‘nature of work’ and ‘channels for recruitment’ in the case of inmigrant labourers and ‘age’ and ‘gender’ pertaining to the local labourers are appeared to be the major influencing factors which make wage differences between the labourers and estimated that the inmigrant labourers do received 36% lesser wages than that of the local one. Employers have treated the inmigrant labourers with inhumane approach denying their basic human rights. Moreover the effectiveness of service delivery catered by building and other construction welfare board in respect of access, availability and outreach revealed its dismal performance where immediate attention is warranted in terms of policy initiatives and its enforcement. The study suggested to reframe the existing labour laws and regulations infavour of inmigrant labourers leaving larger space to the policy makers with a participatory approach interfacing LSGIs and the State Govt’s.