Datanomics: Labour strikes down sharply over past decade in India

Data show strikes have declined over a decade, but wage losses and worker rights concerns continue to fuel fresh nationwide protest by 14 trade unions

About 10 trade unions went on a strike on Thursday against the ‘hire-and-fire’ provisions in the labour Codes, stagnant wages,

privatisation, and the lack of social security. Between 2013 and 2022, India saw 881 general strikes involving nearly 920 million workers, with wage losses estimated at ₹2,138 crore. Meanwhile, wage rate index growth has remained volatile, rising from 4.2 per cent in 2018 to 11.9 per cent in 2023 before easing to 11.3 per cent in 2024.

 

Decline in no. of employees involved per strike 

The number of strikes in India fell from 103 in 2013 to 35 in 2022. The number of employees involved per strike also declined, from 17,226 to 8,461 during the same period. However, wage loss per employee fluctuated widely, ranging from ₹5,940 to ₹255 over the decade. 

 

  Mining wages most volatile after pandemic shock

 

Wage Rate Index growth has remained largely volatile over the years. Although manufacturing and mining recorded strong gains over a decade, both sectors saw a slowdown in 2024 compared with the previous year. 

 

India among nations with worst working conditions 

According to the International Trade Union Confederation’s rating, India and China continue to be ranked among the worst performing countries for workers’ rights among the five largest economies, consistently receiving a rating of 5 (no guarantee of rights) over the past three years.