Some Aspects of an Urban Labour Market: a Study on Calcutta

The labour market of a city like Calcutta is a complex phenomenon. In this study we try to analysis this complex character of the city's labour marker from different aspects. Chapter one is the introductory chapter and in this chapter we have discussed various analytical issues related to the labour market in Calcutta. We analyse the spatial specificity of an urban labour market. It can be viewed as an unified labour market. The unique characteristic of the commodity (labour) is that in a labour market, labour can take an independent decision regarding its price. Again, wage rigidity and the bargaining power of the labour contradicts the usual demand supply rules in a commodity market labour can also take the decision on the amount of labour supplied by him. Huge unsold stock of labour increases the mobility of the labour across the space - out-migration of labour. On the other hand limited supply of jobs and different types of rules and regulations restrict the movement of labour from one workplace to another. Different forces control the access to jobs. Even the informal employment is also restricted by the nature of the market.