A report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has revealed that Indians are amongst the most overworked workers in the world, earning the lowest minimum statutory wage in the Asia Pacific region, second only to Bangladesh, reports Livemint.
Work hours of Indian workers stretch to over 48 hours a week, said the report. The country ranks fifth in the world among countries with long work hours, ranked after Gambia, Mongolia, Maldives and Qatar.
The report further reveals that an average worker works 46 hours a week in China, 36 hours in the United Kingdom, 37 hours in the United States and 36 hours in Israel.
The minimum statutory wage of an Indian worker is also the lowest in the world, barring some sub-Saharan African countries.
The report also states that amongst Indian workers, it is the well-paid workers, both salaried and self-employed, who work more. The salaried workers in urban areas, work more than those in the rural areas, it further said. Men work longer than women in both villages and urban areas.
In rural India, while self-employed men work 48 hours, women spend 37 hours working in a week. In the case of regular wage and salaried employees, rural men work for 52 hours a week, while women work for 44 hours. As for casual labour, rural men work for 45 hours per week,and women spend 39 hours working.
In urban areas, self-employed men work 55 hours per week, while women work 39 hours. Salaried employees and regular wage earning men spend 53 hours a week working, while women work for 46 hours. In case of casual labour, urban men spend 45 hours a week working, while women work for 38 hours, reported The Wire.
There have been recent discussions in India about introducing a four-day work week.
According to Live Mint, labour unions are opposed to a four-day workweek, as it would mean instituting 12-hour shifts a day accounting for the current 48 work hours per week.
(With inputs from The Wire and Livemint)
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