Overview of the Construction Industry 

India’s 60 million construction workers are the builders of modern India.  They build roads, highways, railway tracks, airports and ports that connect the vast subcontinent and make India one country, spanning all its distances and diversities. 

Construction workers are backbone of the economy as they create the infrastructure necessary for industrial growth

The construction industry is one of the main contributors to the country's Gross Domestic Product and thus it plays the role of a key driver of the Indian economy. The construction industry is a labour-intensive industry employing around 60 million people in the country – this is India’s second largest sector-wiser workforce after agriculture labour. 

In the wake of globalisation, the construction sector has witnessed a boom and it’s being dominated by corporate houses and multinational companies. 

The private sector is playing a leading role in infrastructure development in addition to playing a major role in industry, commerce and real estate. Private sector and foreign investment are being encouraged by government policies. Under the prevailing WTO regime, the essential requirement of global tendering has also facilitated the entry of MNCs in the Indian construction industry in a big way. 

Yet, these construction workers, who are creating foundation for the new economy are living in semi-bondage conditions with low pay and insecure and unsafe working conditions. Almost one-third of these workers are women and children. 

The construction industry is mainly comprised of two components - infrastructure and real estate.

The infrastructure sector mainly involves building roads, bridges, ports, rails, power, urban transport, dams and other building projects related to developing country’s public infrastructure. 

The real estate sector comprises of housing, retail, hospitality, residential, industrial and commercial components. The Indian real estate is estimated to grow to 180 billion USD industry by 2020, as per India Brand Equity Foundation’s 2017 estimates.

Plenty of Jobs, But of Poor Quality

Construction sector in India is one of the largest employers of migrant and casual workers. It acts as gateway for urban employment. Left with no other option for livelihood, rural workers are being pushed to urban areas in search of job. 

We witness dual identity among workers who are seasonally engaged in both agriculture and rural operations and also in construction activities. Many of them are looking for jobs in the construction sector because of rapid growth of small towns and cities across the country. 

Migrant construction workers, far away from their home and community, they work more and get less in dangerous working conditions. Time and again they become an easy prey to regional and communal violence. They have to face all sorts of intimidation, discrimination and humiliation. Migrant construction workers lead their lives in abject conditions throughout country. In absence of basic amenities and security at work place they become victims of accidents and diseases. 

After twelve years of a long and sustained struggle and campaign for social security, construction workers forced government of India to enact legislations for their welfare. The government issued two ordinances which was later, on August 19, 1996 enacted as Acts. The Indian Parliament enacted “The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Condition of Service) Act, 1996”.

The All-India Construction Workers’ Federation (AICWF)

Thereafter, in different states and at different centres large number of construction workers were organised under banner of AICCTU and a sustained struggle was organised for implementation of Acts and formation of welfare boards in all states. AICCTU 's affiliated construction workers unions formed in several states and were actively involved in enrolment of membership, struggle for enforcement of Acts, formation of welfare boards in all states, registration of construction workers in addition to struggle for better wages, regular work and dignity.  

On 27-28 June 2008, in the founding conference of AICWF (All India Construction Workers Federation) was affiliated to AICCTU. One major demand raised in the conference was inclusion of brick-kiln and quarry workers under the category of construction workers which was accepted by the Government of India subsequently. 

Earlier it was a phase of sustained struggle for more and more benefits from welfare boards and registration of all construction workers with welfare boards.

Now we are confronting a situation where all our rights are being snatched away. All welfare boards are being robbed away. The Modi led BJP government and also the governments at the states are more geared up towards facilitating the bourgeoisie/employers the “ease of doing business”, while the workers' lives are being made much more difficult. The job of enrolment in welfare boards is being snatched away from the trade unions. 

Under these circumstances AICWF decided to self-introspect our own work and strive to make the construction workers movement a class struggle centric one. Making our union a class struggle centric organisation is the first step towards changing the face of the movement as a whole.

AICWF in its 4th national conference held at Kanyakumari on 8 - 9 July 2023 resolved to ponder over reorienting the direction of the construction labour movement. Politicisation of workers and concept of class struggle need to be given a greater emphasis. The construction labour movement in the country needs to be reoriented to confront the changing realities in wake of anti-labour codes, dismantling of welfare boards and the emerging new challenges.

In the backdrop of new Labour Codes, particularly Social Security Code, construction workers movement is at a crossroads. When construction welfare board is replaced by general state welfare boards as outlined in the Social Security Code, the present practice of unions is bound to face a challenge of relevance. 

New Challenges; Our Strategies 

Labour Codes in general and the Social Security Code in particular is a major blow on the rights and benefits of the building and construction workers in the country. The Modi led BJP government has declared a war on the working class by adopting Labour Codes in the floors of the Parliament. “The Building and Construction Workers Act, 1996” is being undone by the Codes adopted now. The entire burden of Social Security including health insurance, provident fund, Gratuity, Pension and housing has been bestowed on the shoulders of workers themselves. 

Wages are dwindling in the backdrop of skyrocketing prices. Minimum wages do not cover the bare minimum basic necessities as outlined by the Supreme Court. Hard work, cheap labour, unsafe conditions have become a characteristic of the construction industry. Workers are not even being legitimately compensated in case of tragedies like death and disablement. 

Modi led BJP government and the RSS are spreading politics of hate and are using construction workers as a pawn in their design to communally divide the country. The fascist forces in power are using construction workers hailing from downtrodden communities and ridden with poverty, as foot soldiers in their hate filled war mongering against minorities. 

Against such a backdrop during 2024 Parliament Election, AICWF, in its Bhubaneswar national executive committee meeting held on 9 March 2024, resolved to campaign vigorously amongst construction workers throughout country to defeat anti-worker, anti-people, anti-farmer and fascist communal Modi government. Campaign was successfully implemented. Leaflet and other propaganda materials were circulated and distributed amongst thousands of construction workers. 

The construction workers’ movement is bound to march on a path of sustained struggle for their rights and benefits and against the communal design of the fascist forces in the coming years.

AICWF has resolved to build a radical movement of construction workers throughout the country and to build a new egalitarian society.