Labour figures in the Concurrent List in the Constitution.  Thus, both Centre and States can legislate and enforce labour laws.  There are  43 central labour laws enacted by the Central Government concerning different aspects of labour.  12 of these laws are enforced by the Central Government, 16 by both Centre and the State Governments and 15 laws by the State Governments.  There are also about 91 state labour laws enacted and enforced by the State Governments in their respective domain.  These Central labour enactments can be grouped on the basis of their thrust to specific areas as follows:-

I.                     Laws related to Industrial Relations such as :

(1)                Trade Unions Act, 1926. ( C)

(2)                Industrial Employment Standing Order Act, 1946 (B)

(3)                Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (B)

II.                   Laws related to Wages such as :

(1)                Payment of Wages Act, 1936 (B)

(2)                Minimum Wages Act, 1948 (B)

(3)                Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 (B)

III.                  Laws related to working hours, conditions of services and employment such as:

(1)                Factories Act, 1948. (C )

(2)                Plantation Labour Act, 1951. (C )

(3)                Mines Act, 1952. (A)

(4)                Working Journalists and other Newspaper Employees’ (Conditions of Service and Misc. Provisions) Act, 1955. (C )

(5)                Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961. (C )

(6)                Beedi & Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966. (C )

(7)                Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970. (B)

(8)                Sales Promotion Employees Act, 1976. (C )

(9)                Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and conditions of Service) Act, 1979. (B)

(10)             The Employers Liability Act, 1938. (C )

(11)             Dock Workers (Safety, Health & Welfare) Act, 1986. (A)

(12)             Building & Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment & Conditions of Service) Act, 1996. (B)

(13)             Building & Other Construction Workers Cess Act, 1996. (B)

(14)             Cine Workers and Cinema Theatre Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1981. (B)

IV.                Laws related to Equality and Empowerment of Women such as :

(1)                Maternity Benefit Act, 1961. (B)

(2)                Equal Remuneration Act, 1976. (B)

V.                  Laws related to Deprived and Disadvantaged Sections of Society such as :

(1)                Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976. (C )

(2)                Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986. (B)

(3)                Children (Pledging of Labour) Act, 1933. (C )

VI.                Laws related to Social Security such as :

(1)                Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923. (C )

(2)                Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948. (A)

(3)                Employees’ Provident Fund & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 (A)

(4)                Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972. (B)

(5)               

VII.               Laws related to Labour Welfare

(1)                Limestone & Dolomite Mines Labour Welfare Fund Act, 1972. (A)

(2)                Beedi Workers Welfare Fund Act, 1976. (A)

(3)                Beedi Workers Welfare Cess Act, 1976. (A)

(4)                Iron Ore Mines, Manganese Ore Mines & Chrome Ore Mines Labour Welfare Fund Act, 1976. (A)

(5)                Iron Ore Mines, Manganese Ore Mines & Chrome Ore Mines Labour Welfare Cess Act, 1976 (A)

(6)                Cine Workers Welfare Fund Act, 1981. (A)

(7)                Cine Workers Welfare Cess Act, 1981. (A)

(8)                The Mica Mines Labour Welfare Fund Act, 1946. (A)

VIII.             Laws related to Employment & Training

(1)                Employment Exchanges (Compulsory Notification of Vacancies) Act, 1959.(C )

(2)                Apprentices Act, 1961. (B)

IX.                 Others

(1)                Weekly Holiday Act, 1942. (C )

(2)                Personal Injuries (Emergency) provisions Act, 1962. (C )

(3)                Personal Injuries (Compensation Insurance) Act, 1963. (C )

(4)                Labour Laws (Exemption from furnishing Returns and Maintaining Register by Certain Establishments) Act, 1988. (B)

Note:-

A          =            Labour Laws enacted and enforced by Central Government.

B          =            Labour Laws enacted by Central and enforced by both Central and   

                        State Governments.

C          =            Labour Laws enacted by Central and enforced by State Government.

MLD:LK:L-236(back-5)(central labour laws)(11.4.07)