Mumbai - the Financial Capital - II | Maharashtra State PSC (MPSC): Preparation - MPSC (Maharastra) PDF Download

 Page 1


 
 
87
8 
 
 
MUMBAI- THE FINANCIAL CAPITAL - II 
 
b) LABOUR MOVEMENTS 
 
Unit Structure 
 
8.0 Objectives 
8.1 Introduction 
8.2 Background 
8.3 Labour Movement in the 20
th
 Century  
8.4  Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar as a Labour Leader  
8.5 Conclusion 
8.6 Questions 
 
8.0 OBJECTIVES 
 
After the study of this unit, the student will able to : 
 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 The second half of the 19
th
 Century marked with the rapid 
growth of industrilisation in and around Mumbai. Numbers of 
industries were established by Britishers and wealthy Indian 
people. Textile mills were established during this period led to the 
economic growth of Mumbai and provided job opportunity to 
thaousands of indigeneous people. In 1875, the Mumbai mills 
employed almost 2,50,000 workers in more than 52 mills. Mill 
ownes earned lakhs of rupees due to the growth of cotton textile 
industry. However in order to earn more mony they started 
exploitation of mill workers and did not share the profits. Workers 
had to face number of difficulties and problems. This led to the 
emergence of labour movement in Mumbai.  
Page 2


 
 
87
8 
 
 
MUMBAI- THE FINANCIAL CAPITAL - II 
 
b) LABOUR MOVEMENTS 
 
Unit Structure 
 
8.0 Objectives 
8.1 Introduction 
8.2 Background 
8.3 Labour Movement in the 20
th
 Century  
8.4  Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar as a Labour Leader  
8.5 Conclusion 
8.6 Questions 
 
8.0 OBJECTIVES 
 
After the study of this unit, the student will able to : 
 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 The second half of the 19
th
 Century marked with the rapid 
growth of industrilisation in and around Mumbai. Numbers of 
industries were established by Britishers and wealthy Indian 
people. Textile mills were established during this period led to the 
economic growth of Mumbai and provided job opportunity to 
thaousands of indigeneous people. In 1875, the Mumbai mills 
employed almost 2,50,000 workers in more than 52 mills. Mill 
ownes earned lakhs of rupees due to the growth of cotton textile 
industry. However in order to earn more mony they started 
exploitation of mill workers and did not share the profits. Workers 
had to face number of difficulties and problems. This led to the 
emergence of labour movement in Mumbai.  
 
 
 BACKGROUND 
 
Industrial revolution in Europe gave rise to capitalism. India 
also witnessed the industrialization during the 19
th
 and 20
th
 
centuries. It created unequal class system by giving birth to labour 
class.  This revolution totally disturbs the social life of all people.  
Lot of changes has occurred; but in social respect, exploitative 
system during old feudal era had been established in the new form.  
Therefore critical conditions of the labour did not finish.  New values 
became important consciousness was created among the 
downtrodden class.  Voice was raised against the exploitations.  
Importance of power of unity for the attainment of justice was 
observed.  Therefore labourer with similar kind of interests unitedly 
started pressuring the system. It led to the emergence of Labour 
movement in Mumbai. 
  
Labour means working class people having no means of 
production; sell their physical labour – skilled or unskilled to earn 
their livelihood. The term Labor may be defined as “the physical or 
mental effort of human beings for the attainment of some object 
other than the pleasure of the effort itself.” The term labour 
movement is a broad term for the development of a collective 
organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for 
better treatment from their employers and governments, in 
particular through the implementation of specific laws governing 
labour relations. Trade unions are collective organization within 
societies organized for the purpose of representing the interests of 
workers and the working class.   
 
Marx and Angles aimed to destroyed capitalism, acquisition 
of power.  By doing this they want to create classless Social 
System and Labour Organizations was one of the methods to 
achieve this aim.  Hence a brief history of labour movement in 
Mumbai is as follows: 
 
1. Industrial Development and rise of labour unions : 
 
After 1850 several labour intensive industries came into 
existence in Mumbai, in which cotton mills, coal and railway 
junctions were prominent. The labourers who began to work in the 
above industries in Mumbai faced multiple problems like uncertainty 
of work, low wages, fourteen to fifteen hours of work, unhygienic 
conditions of work, poor living conditions, no insurance against 
accident, no provision for financial assistance against accidence no 
pension, and no provision of welfare of their family and children. 
The British Government in Mumbai passed some acts initially to 
mitigate the problems of labourers and workers. 
Page 3


 
 
87
8 
 
 
MUMBAI- THE FINANCIAL CAPITAL - II 
 
b) LABOUR MOVEMENTS 
 
Unit Structure 
 
8.0 Objectives 
8.1 Introduction 
8.2 Background 
8.3 Labour Movement in the 20
th
 Century  
8.4  Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar as a Labour Leader  
8.5 Conclusion 
8.6 Questions 
 
8.0 OBJECTIVES 
 
After the study of this unit, the student will able to : 
 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 The second half of the 19
th
 Century marked with the rapid 
growth of industrilisation in and around Mumbai. Numbers of 
industries were established by Britishers and wealthy Indian 
people. Textile mills were established during this period led to the 
economic growth of Mumbai and provided job opportunity to 
thaousands of indigeneous people. In 1875, the Mumbai mills 
employed almost 2,50,000 workers in more than 52 mills. Mill 
ownes earned lakhs of rupees due to the growth of cotton textile 
industry. However in order to earn more mony they started 
exploitation of mill workers and did not share the profits. Workers 
had to face number of difficulties and problems. This led to the 
emergence of labour movement in Mumbai.  
 
 
 BACKGROUND 
 
Industrial revolution in Europe gave rise to capitalism. India 
also witnessed the industrialization during the 19
th
 and 20
th
 
centuries. It created unequal class system by giving birth to labour 
class.  This revolution totally disturbs the social life of all people.  
Lot of changes has occurred; but in social respect, exploitative 
system during old feudal era had been established in the new form.  
Therefore critical conditions of the labour did not finish.  New values 
became important consciousness was created among the 
downtrodden class.  Voice was raised against the exploitations.  
Importance of power of unity for the attainment of justice was 
observed.  Therefore labourer with similar kind of interests unitedly 
started pressuring the system. It led to the emergence of Labour 
movement in Mumbai. 
  
Labour means working class people having no means of 
production; sell their physical labour – skilled or unskilled to earn 
their livelihood. The term Labor may be defined as “the physical or 
mental effort of human beings for the attainment of some object 
other than the pleasure of the effort itself.” The term labour 
movement is a broad term for the development of a collective 
organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for 
better treatment from their employers and governments, in 
particular through the implementation of specific laws governing 
labour relations. Trade unions are collective organization within 
societies organized for the purpose of representing the interests of 
workers and the working class.   
 
Marx and Angles aimed to destroyed capitalism, acquisition 
of power.  By doing this they want to create classless Social 
System and Labour Organizations was one of the methods to 
achieve this aim.  Hence a brief history of labour movement in 
Mumbai is as follows: 
 
1. Industrial Development and rise of labour unions : 
 
After 1850 several labour intensive industries came into 
existence in Mumbai, in which cotton mills, coal and railway 
junctions were prominent. The labourers who began to work in the 
above industries in Mumbai faced multiple problems like uncertainty 
of work, low wages, fourteen to fifteen hours of work, unhygienic 
conditions of work, poor living conditions, no insurance against 
accident, no provision for financial assistance against accidence no 
pension, and no provision of welfare of their family and children. 
The British Government in Mumbai passed some acts initially to 
mitigate the problems of labourers and workers. 
 
 
During 1851 to 1854 cotton industries were started at 
Mumbai and Ahmedabad.  The numbers of cotton mills were 12 in 
the year 1861.  It became 19 in 1874, 36 in 1875 and 42 in 1887, 
prominently Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Kanpur were important 
centres of cotton mills.  In 20
th
 century number of cotton mills were 
increased in cities like Culcutta, Nagpur, Indore and Solapur.  
Different types of industries’ development took place because to 
fulfill the different needs during the days of First World War, 
prominently industries in Bombay and Bengal. 
 
The British Government in Mumbai passed some acts 
initially to mitigate the problems of labourers and workers. Among 
them the factory Act of 1881 was most important, which reduced 
working hours of women to eleven hours and child workers to 
seven hours. But this act did not reduce the working hours of male 
workers, who were to work for more than fourteen hours a day. 
These and many other problems led labourers in Mumbai to form 
their unions and fight for their rightful share in the factory.  
 
2. Increase in number of labourer :  
 
The number of labour increased with the development of 
different industries in India.  In the year 1886 the number of labour 
working in cotton industry were 74,000, similarly in the year 1905 
the number increases to 1,95,000.  In the year 1904 number of 
workers working in coal mines were 75,449. 
 
3. Problems of the Labours :  
 
On one hand industries and factories started developing in 
India; but on the other hand a problem of the labourers also 
increases.  The labour faced number of problems like less salary, 
no exact working hours, unhygienic condition in the mills and 
factories, lack of facilities, exploitation by the dministrators and 
owners and corruption in recruitment of labourers.  Labourers were 
recruited by contractors.  These contractors send the labourers in 
different mills and factories for work.  Contractor became chief of 
the labourers.  Contractors kept check on the labourers.  Labourers 
had to came from residential facilities were not provided to them.  
Labourers were economically depended on contractor because 
they incurred loan from the contractor. 
 
4. Problems of factory workers in Mumbai :  
 
During British India development of cotton, iron, steel, coal, 
chemicals, sugar and cement industries were in progress.  Number 
of cotton mills in Mumbai was higher labourers from these cotton 
mills had different problems. Dipesh Chakrabarti says that appalling 
living conditions of labourers in Bombay cotton mills and Calcutta 
Page 4


 
 
87
8 
 
 
MUMBAI- THE FINANCIAL CAPITAL - II 
 
b) LABOUR MOVEMENTS 
 
Unit Structure 
 
8.0 Objectives 
8.1 Introduction 
8.2 Background 
8.3 Labour Movement in the 20
th
 Century  
8.4  Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar as a Labour Leader  
8.5 Conclusion 
8.6 Questions 
 
8.0 OBJECTIVES 
 
After the study of this unit, the student will able to : 
 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 The second half of the 19
th
 Century marked with the rapid 
growth of industrilisation in and around Mumbai. Numbers of 
industries were established by Britishers and wealthy Indian 
people. Textile mills were established during this period led to the 
economic growth of Mumbai and provided job opportunity to 
thaousands of indigeneous people. In 1875, the Mumbai mills 
employed almost 2,50,000 workers in more than 52 mills. Mill 
ownes earned lakhs of rupees due to the growth of cotton textile 
industry. However in order to earn more mony they started 
exploitation of mill workers and did not share the profits. Workers 
had to face number of difficulties and problems. This led to the 
emergence of labour movement in Mumbai.  
 
 
 BACKGROUND 
 
Industrial revolution in Europe gave rise to capitalism. India 
also witnessed the industrialization during the 19
th
 and 20
th
 
centuries. It created unequal class system by giving birth to labour 
class.  This revolution totally disturbs the social life of all people.  
Lot of changes has occurred; but in social respect, exploitative 
system during old feudal era had been established in the new form.  
Therefore critical conditions of the labour did not finish.  New values 
became important consciousness was created among the 
downtrodden class.  Voice was raised against the exploitations.  
Importance of power of unity for the attainment of justice was 
observed.  Therefore labourer with similar kind of interests unitedly 
started pressuring the system. It led to the emergence of Labour 
movement in Mumbai. 
  
Labour means working class people having no means of 
production; sell their physical labour – skilled or unskilled to earn 
their livelihood. The term Labor may be defined as “the physical or 
mental effort of human beings for the attainment of some object 
other than the pleasure of the effort itself.” The term labour 
movement is a broad term for the development of a collective 
organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for 
better treatment from their employers and governments, in 
particular through the implementation of specific laws governing 
labour relations. Trade unions are collective organization within 
societies organized for the purpose of representing the interests of 
workers and the working class.   
 
Marx and Angles aimed to destroyed capitalism, acquisition 
of power.  By doing this they want to create classless Social 
System and Labour Organizations was one of the methods to 
achieve this aim.  Hence a brief history of labour movement in 
Mumbai is as follows: 
 
1. Industrial Development and rise of labour unions : 
 
After 1850 several labour intensive industries came into 
existence in Mumbai, in which cotton mills, coal and railway 
junctions were prominent. The labourers who began to work in the 
above industries in Mumbai faced multiple problems like uncertainty 
of work, low wages, fourteen to fifteen hours of work, unhygienic 
conditions of work, poor living conditions, no insurance against 
accident, no provision for financial assistance against accidence no 
pension, and no provision of welfare of their family and children. 
The British Government in Mumbai passed some acts initially to 
mitigate the problems of labourers and workers. 
 
 
During 1851 to 1854 cotton industries were started at 
Mumbai and Ahmedabad.  The numbers of cotton mills were 12 in 
the year 1861.  It became 19 in 1874, 36 in 1875 and 42 in 1887, 
prominently Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Kanpur were important 
centres of cotton mills.  In 20
th
 century number of cotton mills were 
increased in cities like Culcutta, Nagpur, Indore and Solapur.  
Different types of industries’ development took place because to 
fulfill the different needs during the days of First World War, 
prominently industries in Bombay and Bengal. 
 
The British Government in Mumbai passed some acts 
initially to mitigate the problems of labourers and workers. Among 
them the factory Act of 1881 was most important, which reduced 
working hours of women to eleven hours and child workers to 
seven hours. But this act did not reduce the working hours of male 
workers, who were to work for more than fourteen hours a day. 
These and many other problems led labourers in Mumbai to form 
their unions and fight for their rightful share in the factory.  
 
2. Increase in number of labourer :  
 
The number of labour increased with the development of 
different industries in India.  In the year 1886 the number of labour 
working in cotton industry were 74,000, similarly in the year 1905 
the number increases to 1,95,000.  In the year 1904 number of 
workers working in coal mines were 75,449. 
 
3. Problems of the Labours :  
 
On one hand industries and factories started developing in 
India; but on the other hand a problem of the labourers also 
increases.  The labour faced number of problems like less salary, 
no exact working hours, unhygienic condition in the mills and 
factories, lack of facilities, exploitation by the dministrators and 
owners and corruption in recruitment of labourers.  Labourers were 
recruited by contractors.  These contractors send the labourers in 
different mills and factories for work.  Contractor became chief of 
the labourers.  Contractors kept check on the labourers.  Labourers 
had to came from residential facilities were not provided to them.  
Labourers were economically depended on contractor because 
they incurred loan from the contractor. 
 
4. Problems of factory workers in Mumbai :  
 
During British India development of cotton, iron, steel, coal, 
chemicals, sugar and cement industries were in progress.  Number 
of cotton mills in Mumbai was higher labourers from these cotton 
mills had different problems. Dipesh Chakrabarti says that appalling 
living conditions of labourers in Bombay cotton mills and Calcutta 
 
 
jute mills created consciousness among labours that led them to 
riots in mid – 1890s. He further says that the paltry restrictions 
imposed the working hours of women and children were never 
observed, the working day of 15, 16 and 18 hours remained 
extremely common.   
 
5. First factory commission 1881 :  
 
Labourers were disunited therefore exploitation in the form of 
less salary and more work increased.  Defected products were also 
sold by mill owner.  Hence mill owners from lankesheyar could not 
making profit in India.  They became conscious about their future 
status.  As a result they pressurized the Indian Government to pass 
an act which controls the mill owners of Bombay.  According to 
Brown, head of Bombay Royal Mill, Factory Act was necessary 
because women and children under 12 years were exploited.  This 
kind of attempt nevertheless was a selfish motive of mill owners 
from England, but this initiative benefited to Indian labourers. 
 
 In the year 1876, Bombay Mill Owners’ Association, this 
association was established after analyzing the serious threat by 
the Bombay mill owners.  By establishing such kind of association 
Bombay mill owners had trying to show their sympathy towards 
Indian labourers. They had shown their protest towards any direct 
or indirect act passed by the Indian Government.  Finally on 23 
March 1875 under the headship of Aurboth Knot, Bombay district 
officer, first factory commission was appointed.  The commission 
had prepared report.  The report was presented by them in front of 
the Government but no action was taken by them. 
 
6. 1881 – Act – Response from oppositions : 
 
Puna Sarvajanik Sabha and Induprakash newspaper had 
expressed positive opinion about labourers.  But newspapers like 
Native opinion, Jam-i-jamshed, Rastgoftar had severely criticized 
the factory act.  Native opinion wrote that thousands of labourers 
were depended on salary which they getting from mills. Mill 
laboureres had no complaints against the mill owners and they 
were happy mill workers.  Mill workers had not been pressurized by 
the mill owners for work and nowadays labourers getting salary as 
per their working hours, no permanent salary was given to them in 
many factories. We don’t think that Government has any proof that 
such kind of work creates threat for labourers’ health.  If we 
compared the health of our college and school children with mill 
workers’ children then mill worker’s children is more healthy people 
those who saw the condition in factories, they also agreed that mill 
workers’ children’s are healthy, happy and they work more 
efficiently.” 
 
Page 5


 
 
87
8 
 
 
MUMBAI- THE FINANCIAL CAPITAL - II 
 
b) LABOUR MOVEMENTS 
 
Unit Structure 
 
8.0 Objectives 
8.1 Introduction 
8.2 Background 
8.3 Labour Movement in the 20
th
 Century  
8.4  Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar as a Labour Leader  
8.5 Conclusion 
8.6 Questions 
 
8.0 OBJECTIVES 
 
After the study of this unit, the student will able to : 
 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 The second half of the 19
th
 Century marked with the rapid 
growth of industrilisation in and around Mumbai. Numbers of 
industries were established by Britishers and wealthy Indian 
people. Textile mills were established during this period led to the 
economic growth of Mumbai and provided job opportunity to 
thaousands of indigeneous people. In 1875, the Mumbai mills 
employed almost 2,50,000 workers in more than 52 mills. Mill 
ownes earned lakhs of rupees due to the growth of cotton textile 
industry. However in order to earn more mony they started 
exploitation of mill workers and did not share the profits. Workers 
had to face number of difficulties and problems. This led to the 
emergence of labour movement in Mumbai.  
 
 
 BACKGROUND 
 
Industrial revolution in Europe gave rise to capitalism. India 
also witnessed the industrialization during the 19
th
 and 20
th
 
centuries. It created unequal class system by giving birth to labour 
class.  This revolution totally disturbs the social life of all people.  
Lot of changes has occurred; but in social respect, exploitative 
system during old feudal era had been established in the new form.  
Therefore critical conditions of the labour did not finish.  New values 
became important consciousness was created among the 
downtrodden class.  Voice was raised against the exploitations.  
Importance of power of unity for the attainment of justice was 
observed.  Therefore labourer with similar kind of interests unitedly 
started pressuring the system. It led to the emergence of Labour 
movement in Mumbai. 
  
Labour means working class people having no means of 
production; sell their physical labour – skilled or unskilled to earn 
their livelihood. The term Labor may be defined as “the physical or 
mental effort of human beings for the attainment of some object 
other than the pleasure of the effort itself.” The term labour 
movement is a broad term for the development of a collective 
organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for 
better treatment from their employers and governments, in 
particular through the implementation of specific laws governing 
labour relations. Trade unions are collective organization within 
societies organized for the purpose of representing the interests of 
workers and the working class.   
 
Marx and Angles aimed to destroyed capitalism, acquisition 
of power.  By doing this they want to create classless Social 
System and Labour Organizations was one of the methods to 
achieve this aim.  Hence a brief history of labour movement in 
Mumbai is as follows: 
 
1. Industrial Development and rise of labour unions : 
 
After 1850 several labour intensive industries came into 
existence in Mumbai, in which cotton mills, coal and railway 
junctions were prominent. The labourers who began to work in the 
above industries in Mumbai faced multiple problems like uncertainty 
of work, low wages, fourteen to fifteen hours of work, unhygienic 
conditions of work, poor living conditions, no insurance against 
accident, no provision for financial assistance against accidence no 
pension, and no provision of welfare of their family and children. 
The British Government in Mumbai passed some acts initially to 
mitigate the problems of labourers and workers. 
 
 
During 1851 to 1854 cotton industries were started at 
Mumbai and Ahmedabad.  The numbers of cotton mills were 12 in 
the year 1861.  It became 19 in 1874, 36 in 1875 and 42 in 1887, 
prominently Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Kanpur were important 
centres of cotton mills.  In 20
th
 century number of cotton mills were 
increased in cities like Culcutta, Nagpur, Indore and Solapur.  
Different types of industries’ development took place because to 
fulfill the different needs during the days of First World War, 
prominently industries in Bombay and Bengal. 
 
The British Government in Mumbai passed some acts 
initially to mitigate the problems of labourers and workers. Among 
them the factory Act of 1881 was most important, which reduced 
working hours of women to eleven hours and child workers to 
seven hours. But this act did not reduce the working hours of male 
workers, who were to work for more than fourteen hours a day. 
These and many other problems led labourers in Mumbai to form 
their unions and fight for their rightful share in the factory.  
 
2. Increase in number of labourer :  
 
The number of labour increased with the development of 
different industries in India.  In the year 1886 the number of labour 
working in cotton industry were 74,000, similarly in the year 1905 
the number increases to 1,95,000.  In the year 1904 number of 
workers working in coal mines were 75,449. 
 
3. Problems of the Labours :  
 
On one hand industries and factories started developing in 
India; but on the other hand a problem of the labourers also 
increases.  The labour faced number of problems like less salary, 
no exact working hours, unhygienic condition in the mills and 
factories, lack of facilities, exploitation by the dministrators and 
owners and corruption in recruitment of labourers.  Labourers were 
recruited by contractors.  These contractors send the labourers in 
different mills and factories for work.  Contractor became chief of 
the labourers.  Contractors kept check on the labourers.  Labourers 
had to came from residential facilities were not provided to them.  
Labourers were economically depended on contractor because 
they incurred loan from the contractor. 
 
4. Problems of factory workers in Mumbai :  
 
During British India development of cotton, iron, steel, coal, 
chemicals, sugar and cement industries were in progress.  Number 
of cotton mills in Mumbai was higher labourers from these cotton 
mills had different problems. Dipesh Chakrabarti says that appalling 
living conditions of labourers in Bombay cotton mills and Calcutta 
 
 
jute mills created consciousness among labours that led them to 
riots in mid – 1890s. He further says that the paltry restrictions 
imposed the working hours of women and children were never 
observed, the working day of 15, 16 and 18 hours remained 
extremely common.   
 
5. First factory commission 1881 :  
 
Labourers were disunited therefore exploitation in the form of 
less salary and more work increased.  Defected products were also 
sold by mill owner.  Hence mill owners from lankesheyar could not 
making profit in India.  They became conscious about their future 
status.  As a result they pressurized the Indian Government to pass 
an act which controls the mill owners of Bombay.  According to 
Brown, head of Bombay Royal Mill, Factory Act was necessary 
because women and children under 12 years were exploited.  This 
kind of attempt nevertheless was a selfish motive of mill owners 
from England, but this initiative benefited to Indian labourers. 
 
 In the year 1876, Bombay Mill Owners’ Association, this 
association was established after analyzing the serious threat by 
the Bombay mill owners.  By establishing such kind of association 
Bombay mill owners had trying to show their sympathy towards 
Indian labourers. They had shown their protest towards any direct 
or indirect act passed by the Indian Government.  Finally on 23 
March 1875 under the headship of Aurboth Knot, Bombay district 
officer, first factory commission was appointed.  The commission 
had prepared report.  The report was presented by them in front of 
the Government but no action was taken by them. 
 
6. 1881 – Act – Response from oppositions : 
 
Puna Sarvajanik Sabha and Induprakash newspaper had 
expressed positive opinion about labourers.  But newspapers like 
Native opinion, Jam-i-jamshed, Rastgoftar had severely criticized 
the factory act.  Native opinion wrote that thousands of labourers 
were depended on salary which they getting from mills. Mill 
laboureres had no complaints against the mill owners and they 
were happy mill workers.  Mill workers had not been pressurized by 
the mill owners for work and nowadays labourers getting salary as 
per their working hours, no permanent salary was given to them in 
many factories. We don’t think that Government has any proof that 
such kind of work creates threat for labourers’ health.  If we 
compared the health of our college and school children with mill 
workers’ children then mill worker’s children is more healthy people 
those who saw the condition in factories, they also agreed that mill 
workers’ children’s are healthy, happy and they work more 
efficiently.” 
 
 
 
 The above opinion spread by newspapers and pressure from 
the mill owners, Hindustan Government has changed the basic 
structure of report presented by Aurboth Knot and in the year 1881 
Factory Act was passed which was simple and limited in nature. 
 
7. Exposure to Labour Power :  
 
Act of 1881 unable to stop the exploitation of child labour.  
There were number of drawbacks in the act which was used by mill 
owners of their benefit.  Therefore, after observing these drawbacks 
factory commission was appointed under the presidentship of 
collector W.B. Mulak by Mumbai Government.  In the earlier 
commission which was presided by Aurboth Knot in 1884 labourers 
had no representation. This time atleast to raise the issue of 
labourers in front of the commission, Narayan Meghaji Lokhande 
called meeting of 4000 labourers in the year 1884 at Supari bagh, 
Parel.  First time through these meeting problems of the labourers 
were discussed.  Following demands were put forward by the 
Sabha to head of the factory commission collector W.B. Mulak. 
 
a) There will be one holiday in a weak. 
b) There will be daily half an hour for rest. 
c) Before this no one has taken initiative to present such kind of  
    demands.   
 
In order to create awareness among the workers, Mahatma 
Phule with his associate N. M. Lokhande started ‘Dinabandhu’ a 
weekly in 1880. N. M. Lokhande continued his meetings with 
workers of mills in Mumbai and demanded working days of shorter 
hours for male, female and child workers in 1884. He also started 
‘Bombay Mill Hand’s Association in 1890 to give advice free of 
charge to mill workers who came to him. This created awareness 
among the workers of Mumbai who began to fight occasionally. 
They were as assaults on oversees, supervisors; sporadic riots and 
spontaneous short lived strikes. There were around twenty six 
important strikes of Mumbai labour unions between 1882 and 1890. 
These labour unions had organised big strikes in 1892, 1893 and in 
1901 in which labouers and workers of all industrial units in Mumbai 
had come together and demanded for better working conditions.  
 
Dyanodaya newspaper appreciated the work done by 
Lokhande. Lot of response received from the labourers.  Therefore, 
power of Narayanrao Lokhande increased.  To pressurized the 
Government immediately he presented one letter with the help of 
5500 labourers to factory commission.  Labours declared strike 
against the exploitation of mill owners in Mumbai. These mill 
owners cut the salary of the labourers and also refused pay salary 
on time, this reason forced the labourers to show power of their 
association.  Tata, the mill owner, had appointed new labours when