Today, let us understand Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's

Babasaheb And Labour 6 

Babasaheb made two firm demands. He said that Employers and Owners must disclose the budget to every employee, so that the labourers and employees may judge if their compensation is fair or not. 

Secondly, he demanded that Government should stop taking side of industry owners and employers whenever there is a strike. Because he concluded strike as a basic necessary condition of freedom. 

This is how he ends his speech against that Bill

"Government in any dispute is always on the side of employers. This is clear from the use of the police Government makes in strikes. The police force is maintained out of public fund, out of the taxes we all bear. It is intended for the benefit of all. Surely, no Government is entitled to use this police force merely because a strike by the workers results in a breach of peace. What is further necessary is to show that the breach of peace, has been caused by one particular section of the industry. If the breach of peace is caused by some unreasonable demand made by labour, you may be justified in using police force against them. If on the other hand the breach of peace is broken by something which has been done by the employer which does not stand to reason, and which is contrary to justice and equity, then Government have no right to use the police force against the workers. 

Real equality between employers and employees can be brought about only by incorporating these two provisions. The employer must be compelled to  disclose his budget and the Government must cease to use the police force against the workers merely because there is breach of peace. Without this there can be no equality between capital and labour as to bargaining power. Will you do it? If you do this, you will lose case with the employers. If you don’t, you cannot be the friend of labour. 

The Bill as it is, I am sure about it, should not be passed. It only handicaps labour. Labour may not now know what this Bill does. But when the Bill comes into operation and the labourer stands face to face with the Bill he will say that this Bill is bad, bloody and a brutal Bill. 
Sir, I cannot be a party to it."

Followed by applause too

~ Volume 2 BAWS, his speech against the existing draft of the Industrial Disputes Bill

Babasaheb And Labour 7

Please compare those who think labour exists independent of social context, and the following 3 instances where Babasaheb specifically used labour to analyse Indian society. 

1. Many acads of social sciences today spend tons of time in caricaturing caste system as a behavioral problem. They do this by stripping it whole. Sometimes they club it in same category as superstition, falsely claiming that "caste is just an irrational belief". 

Here is Babasaheb explaining untouchability in terms of economic vested interests and exploitation of labour:

"Why does reason fail to bring about social justice? The answer is that reason works so long as it does not come into conflict with one’s vested interest. Where it comes into conflict with vested interests, it fails. Many Hindus have a vested interest in untouchability. That, vested interest may take the shape of feeling of social superiority or it may take the shape of economic exploitation such as forced labour or cheap labour, the fact remains that Hindus have a vested interest in untouchability. It is only natural that that vested interest should not yield to the dictates of reason. The Untouchables should therefore know that there are limits to what reason can do."

(Volume 4, BAWS)

2. Seeing labour, wealth, and education as necessary rights for everyone. 

"Caste devitalizes a man. It is a process of sterilization. Education, wealth, labour are all necessary for every individual if he is to reach a free and full manhood. Mere education without wealth and labour is barren. Wealth without education and wealth is brutal. Each is necessary to every one. They are necessary for the growth of a man." (Volume 3, BAWS)

3. In our attempts to glorify and re-emphasise importance of labour, we should ask why is labour (and thus, labourers) looked at with contempt in the first place:

"The second mischief it [caste system] does is to dissociate intelligence from work and create contempt for labour. The theory of the Caste is that a Brahmin who is permitted to cultivate his intellect is not permitted to labour, indeed is taught to look down upon labour. " (BAWS, Volume 3)

Babasaheb And Labour 8
 

"Nationalism, a Means to an End. Labour’s creed is internationalism. Labour is interested in nationalism only because the wheels of democracy—such as representative Parliaments, responsible Executive, constitutional conventions, etc.—work better in a community united by national sentiments. Nationalism to Labour is only a means to an end. It is not an end in itself to which Labour can agree to sacrifice what it regards as the most essential principles of life."

~ from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Broadcast
on All India Radio, Bombay in December, 1942.

Babasaheb And Labour 9

The following excerpt was written by Babasaheb on a separate sheet of paper. It was published as Miscellaneous Notes in the 12th volume:

"In a society where there is exemption from restraint, a secured release from obstruction, in a society where every man is entitled not only to the means of being, but also of well-being, where no man is forced to labour so that another may abound in luxuries, where no man is deprived of his right to cultivate his faculties and powers so that there may be no competition with the favoured, where there is emphasis of reward, where there is goodwill towards all..."

Babasaheb And Labour 10 

In a heated and recorded discussion, part of the 15th Volume 

Shri H. P. Saksena (Uttar Pradesh) to Babasaheb: "God save your soul."

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: "Do not pray for my soul. I have no soul. I am a Buddhist. Nobody need take the trouble of praying for my soul. I do not believe in God. I have no soul."

after a while, 

Shri B. B. Sharma: "Who is your God ?"

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: "To me the people are God."