The pendulum has currently swung against labour. I can certainly speak of Pakistan and have read of a similar situation in India – labour laws that were enacted to provide some protection to labour are being flouted with impunity through the use of contract labour, whereby large numbers of labourers of permenanent nature are hired through contractors. Thus the real hirer is not responsible for their welfare, which is otherwise enshrined in the labour laws. in this process the contractor lives off the labourer’s sweat and toil for making zero economic contribution, while the poor labourer is left without medicare and old age protection.