Who Are Workers? (5)

The history of working-class women is a story of resilience, struggle, and transformation across different eras and regions. Throughout history, women have played crucial roles in labour movements, often fighting for better wages, working conditions, and social rights.

In the Industrial Revolution, working-class women were heavily involved in textile factories, coal mines, and domestic service. They faced long hours, low wages, and hazardous conditions, yet they organised strikes and labour movements to demand fair treatment.

Women's labour participation increased during the early 20th century, particularly during wartime. In World War I and World War II, women took on roles in factories, shipyards, and other industries, proving their capabilities in traditionally male-dominated fields. However, many were pushed out of these jobs once the wars ended.

In the mid-to-late 20th century, feminist movements intersected with labour struggles, leading to significant advancements in workplace rights. Women fought for equal pay, maternity leave, and protection against workplace discrimination. The rise of service industries also changed the nature of women’s work, with more opportunities in education, healthcare, and administration.

Today, working-class women continue to face challenges, including wage gaps, precarious employment, and barriers to career advancement. However, they remain at the forefront of labour movements, advocating for fair wages, better working conditions, and gender equality in workplaces worldwide.

Labour is highly visible in developing countries and labour-intensive industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, and construction. In urban centres, workers drive the service and infrastructure sectors. In rural areas, farm labourers play a vital role in food security and local economies.

Labour becomes most immediately recognisable in occupations where the body is used and the results are tangible. For example, construction workers, street cleaners, factory line operators, agricultural labourers, and domestic workers often perform their tasks in open spaces or in conditions where the effort, sweat, and repetitiveness of their work can be seen directly. These forms of labour tend to be associated with the working class and are often undervalued despite their visibility.

Labour also becomes visible when workers mobilise through strikes, demonstrations, and union activity. Moments of collective resistance or advocacy highlight labour as a social and political force, drawing attention to the conditions under which people work. These events often bring into focus inequalities, demands for dignity, and struggles over wages and rights.

Conversely, many modern forms of labour are increasingly invisible. For instance, gig economy workers (like food couriers or rideshare drivers) operate in fragmented and isolated conditions. Similarly, care work (nannies, elderly caregivers, nurses) and emotional labour (customer service, flight attendants) are often overlooked, even though they are essential. The invisibility is worsened when the work occurs in private spaces, such as homes, or in virtual environments where physical effort isn’t immediately apparent.

The most visible forms of labour are often associated with low status and low pay, while high-status professional or managerial work may involve long hours and mental effort but is often framed as leadership or innovation rather than as labour. This reflects how cultural narratives and class structures determine what we recognise as "work."

The visibility of labour is influenced by how different jobs are portrayed in television, film, advertising, and social media. For example, doctors and lawyers are often glamorised, while janitors, warehouse workers, or delivery drivers may be completely absent from public narratives. This contributes to a distorted perception of who works and how society functions.

Workers are the backbone of any economy. They are the people who produce goods, deliver services, maintain infrastructure, and drive innovation. Without workers, economic systems would collapse, as there would be no one to operate machinery, build homes, teach children, care for the sick, or even grow food.

Without workers, the economy cannot function. They form the backbone of goods and services production. A healthy, skilled, and fairly compensated workforce boosts productivity and enhances national competitiveness. Hence, labour welfare and protection are key issues in economic development policies.

So, why are workers important to the economy? At the most basic level, labour is a factor of production. Workers contribute their time, energy, and skills to create everything that is consumed in an economy—from food and clothing to technology and transportation. Every product and service that exists in a marketplace is the result of human effort.

When people work, they not only produce goods and services, but they also earn income. This income allows them to spend money on other goods and services, which stimulates demand. This demand encourages businesses to grow, which leads to more investment, more jobs, and higher productivity. In this way, workers are both producers and consumers, creating a cycle of economic activity.

Through their employment, workers contribute to the economy not just by producing, but also by paying taxes. These taxes help fund public services such as education, healthcare, transportation, and national security. Without a strong and stable workforce, the government would lack the financial resources to provide essential services that benefit all citizens.

When a country experiences high unemployment, it faces serious social and economic consequences. Large numbers of unemployed people mean that many individuals and families lack income, leading to increased poverty, hunger, and social inequality. This can also result in reduced consumer spending, which slows down economic growth because businesses earn less and may cut jobs even further. Moreover, high unemployment can lead to social unrest, higher crime rates, and a loss of public trust in institutions.

Unemployment also puts pressure on the government to provide more social assistance programs such as unemployment benefits, food aid, or housing support—while at the same time collecting less income tax from the public. This creates a budget deficit and weakens the government's ability to invest in other crucial areas like education, infrastructure, or health care.

Who then, is responsible for providing jobs for the citizens? In principle, job creation is a shared responsibility between the government, the private sector, and society. However, the state (government) plays a central and strategic role in ensuring that economic conditions support job growth and that citizens have access to decent work opportunities.

Governments are responsible for developing policies that stimulate economic growth and investment. This includes setting fair tax policies, investing in infrastructure, stabilising inflation, and ensuring legal certainty. When the business environment is healthy, private companies are more likely to grow and hire more workers.

Governments can also directly provide jobs by employing workers in public services such as education, health care, transportation, sanitation, and security. In times of economic crisis, some governments also initiate public works programs—projects that create temporary employment while improving national infrastructure.

A key long-term role of the state is to equip its citizens with the skills needed in the labour market. Governments can do this by funding education, technical training, and vocational programs. A skilled workforce is more employable and adaptable to changes in the economy.

Governments can promote employment by supporting innovation, research, green energy, and digital industries, which are increasingly becoming key sources of new jobs. Providing subsidies, tax breaks, or incubators can help new businesses grow and hire more people.

The government also has a duty to ensure that jobs are fair, safe, and dignified. This means enacting and enforcing labour laws, setting minimum wages, ensuring workplace safety, and protecting against exploitation or discrimination.

Through job placement services, retraining programs, and unemployment insurance, governments can bridge the gap between periods of joblessness and reemployment, helping citizens stay productive and hopeful.

So, when unemployment is high, the entire economy suffers. While private companies hire workers and create most jobs, it is ultimately the government's responsibility to ensure that the right conditions, protections, and opportunities exist for all citizens to find decent and productive work. A government's success is often measured by how well it supports its people in gaining and maintaining employment.

Skilled and motivated workers help improve productivity—which means producing more with less effort or fewer resources. In knowledge-based and high-tech economies, the creativity and problem-solving abilities of workers contribute to innovation, which helps businesses stay competitive and generate long-term economic success.

High levels of employment lead to greater social cohesion. When people have access to decent jobs, they are more likely to feel secure, valued, and hopeful about the future. This reduces poverty, crime, and social unrest, all of which are crucial for a healthy economic environment.

As economies evolve due to globalisation, technology, and environmental shifts, workers play a key role in adapting to new industries and challenges. For example, the transition to green energy or digital economies depends on retraining and redeploying labour into emerging sectors.

Workers are not just participants in the economy—they are its foundation. They make production possible, stimulate consumption, pay taxes, contribute to innovation, and hold societies together. Without workers, there would be no economy, just abstract systems with no one to run them. That is why any sustainable economic strategy must place workers' rights, well-being, and development at the centre of policy and planning.

The role of workers has changed significantly over time, especially in the modern era. In the pre-industrial period, most people worked in agriculture, small-scale crafts, or family-based trades. Work was usually informal, localised, and not governed by national laws or global markets.

With the rise of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries, workers became part of a new system of wage labour in factories, mines, and large-scale industries. This period saw long working hours, low wages, and dangerous conditions. Workers had very few rights, and child labour was common. As a result, labour movements began to emerge, calling for better pay, shorter hours, and safer conditions.

In the 20th century, the role of workers expanded further through the growth of trade unions, collective bargaining, and labour laws introduced by governments to protect worker rights. Social security systems, minimum wage laws, and workplace safety regulations became more common. Workers were increasingly seen not just as labourers, but as contributors to national development and economic stability.

In the modern, digital, and globalised economy, the role of workers continues to evolve. New types of jobs have emerged in the service, technology, and creative sectors, while automation and artificial intelligence are transforming traditional roles. At the same time, many workers face job insecurity, such as gig workers and freelancers who often lack social protections. Discussions today are increasingly focused on fair pay, job quality, work-life balance, and the right to meaningful work in a rapidly changing world.

International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day, is celebrated on May 1st every year in many countries to honour the labour movement and the contributions of workers.

Its origins go back to the late 19th century in the United States, particularly the Haymarket affair in Chicago in 1886. During this time, American workers were campaigning for an eight-hour workday. On May 1, 1886, hundreds of thousands of workers went on strike across the country. In Chicago, a peaceful rally turned violent when someone threw a bomb at police officers, resulting in deaths on both sides.

The Haymarket affair became a symbol of the struggle for workers’ rights and inspired labour activists around the world. In 1889, the Second International, a federation of socialist and labour parties, declared May 1st as a day of international demonstrations in support of workers and their rights. Since then, May Day has been recognised globally as a time to celebrate labour achievements, demand fair treatment, and advocate for justice in the workplace.

[Part 4]
[Part 1]

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