Machines brings into light the tacit acceptance of Business, Government, and Society of the inhumane working conditions of laborers, through their inactions. The revealing visual description shows a factory that is dull, grey, water-logged, and continuously echoes the humming noise of mills which work endlessly to churn out meters and meters of fabric. The workers look malnourished, tired, and exhausted to the bone. They directly handle the chemicals and dyes without any protective gloves or material handling equipment. Even child labourers can be seen working in the factory.

The setting which one might mistake for a slavery camp is full of willing labourers. But this willingness comes out of desperation. Most workers are migrant from the agricultural states of UP, Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha, who faced crop failures and stumbled upon whatever work they could find to feed their family. This indicates the failure of the respective state government to generate enough employment opportunities for their residents. The workers are fait accompli in the situation and any actions of unionization have been thwarted by the management, sometimes with extreme measures. The silence of the state administration regarding the issue is unsettling.

The business owner has a different outlook. His view is that the labour class is getting the market wage and justifies it by contending that additional wages will not lead to prosperous families instead it will lead to more alcohol and tobacco consumption. In fact, over-abundance of cheap labours in Asia and Africa has swayed several businesses from developed countries to shift their manufacturing operation in these countries and many of them also witness the dehumanization of labour. However ignorant these businesses act, they need to realize that market forces cannot over-ride the basic human dignity.

It’s high time that Business, Government, and Society join hands to frame stronger labour laws in India.