Worker Protection Laws: Safeguarding Rights and Fair Treatmen
Since the industrial revolution, labor rights have been integral to the economic and social development of a nation. Labor Law, also known as employment law, is a set of laws which deal with the legal rights of and limitation on working people and their organization. It reflects different facets of relationship between employees, employers and trade union.
There was an era when labors were exploited at the hands of employers. The mistreatment of labor had surfaced the need of labor law which can fulfill their demands for better employment conditions. Labor law concerns itself with the discrimination of bargaining power between employer and employee. Labor laws prevented the inequitable or unjust utilization of labor.
Prior to industrial revolution labors were deprived of certain benefits which they had the right to own. Labor laws on health and safety helped in dropping occupational health hazards and strengthening the welfare of workers. Health and safety laws ensure labors to acquire a safe and healthy work environment. Labor law addressing the working hours of labors helped in achieving 8-9 hours of work, which was 13-14 hours of work prior to implementation of such law. Due to the empowerment of labor law, child labor gained few special provisions. Labor laws helped in prohibiting employers to misuse employees for their own interest.
The prime aim of labor law is to upgrade the standard of living of labors and promote employment security. Due to the inception of labor law on minimum wage, labors were guaranteed minimum wage. Labor law was implemented in order to ensure that the voice of every worker is heard as well as to ensure wellbeing of laborers. The promotion of rights of labor eventually led to industrial democracy. Today, laborers of many nations are enjoying certain employment rights, thanks to labor laws.