Issues & Solutions
ILO estimates a loss of 4% of GDP to worker injuries and work related illnesses.
We find 1,500+ severely injured workers just in automobile brands' suppliers every year in 6+ states in the country. This is not just a humanitarian crisis but also a loss to Indian labour productivity, quality of production and manufacturing professionalism. Can Indian Indian auto sector grow sustainably with such unprofessional practices?
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Many of these workers, even in the formal sector, struggle to obtain their due healthcare and compensations from ESIC - one of the best social insurance promises in the world. - and to which they pay an insurance premium. Can employers not providing them ESIC coverage and documentation as required by law and ESIC's customer-unfriendly processes continue?
The Issues
The Solutions
The Solution:
Worker Safety
For improving working conditions, we publish two annual reports in the automobile sector, to highlight the issue, the reasons, the solutions and best practices.
CRUSHED reports, since 2019, record evidence of worker injuries in automobile brands' supply chains in more than six states and makes operational recommendations to these brands.
SafetyNiti reports, since 2021, record the worker safety policies of India's top 10 automobile brands and their gaps and best practices, and makes policy recommendations to them.
These reports, now informed by data of 5,000+ injured workers, also make recommendations to central and state governments, and their relevant agencies like DG FASLI and ISH, and other ministries like MoMSME, Niti Ayog, etc. We use the above to engage constructively with these brands, their industry associations, the government, workers and indeed the public, to nudge them all to improve.
For improving quality of ESIC Services to workers ("Insured Persons"), we collect evidence of workers' experiences with ESIC, as we assist them in their healthcare and compensation.
This evidence is collated, analyzed and reported to ESIC regularly with recommendations, through letters to ESIC HQ/Board. We also publish regular reports - ESIC Ki Baat, Aapkay Saath - based on ground-up evidence of workers.
In 2024, we will publish our first full report on ESIC quality of services - which will become an annual feature.
The Solution:
Quality of ESIC Services
The Solution: Constructive Communications with Stakeholders
To empower workers with knowledge of workplace safety and ESIC benefits, we started a Hindi Facebook page in 2021, which now has 50,000+ followers
In 2022, we released an edutainment video series on ESIC pensions for disabled workers - Gang of Shramikpur - which now has 125,000+ views In 2024, we have started a whatsapp channel for workers along with a whatsapp business communication channel.
We also publish regular blogs, linkedin updates and tweets, in addition to intensive written communication by letters and emails to automobile brands, their associations, and to the government and its relevant agencies.
ESIC Regional Offices get a monthly 'management information' on the worker cases stuck in the system with progress (or not) and operational recommendations.