Negotiating Precarity in a Progressive State: A Dual Lens Analysis of ASHA Workers Agitation in Kerala
Published: 2026
Author(s) Name: Prasad Oommen Kurian and Gaurav Manohar Marathe |
Author(s) Affiliation: Executive PhD Scholar, Indian Institute of Management, Prabandhan Nagar, Nayasarai Road, Ranchi
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Abstract
This paper examines the agitation by Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers in Kerala in 2025, within the context of the states unique socio-political and labor relations. Employing a qualitative case study methodology, the research analyzes the agitation using the dual lens of Organizational Behavior and Industrial Relations. The Industrial Relations analysis reveals tensions within Kerala traditional labor movement and highlights the limitations of conventional unionism and collective bargaining in representing informal, feminized labor. The Organizational Behavior perspective emphasizes psychological contract breaches and organizational justice violations that underpin worker dissatisfaction and collective mobilization. This paper offers valuable insights for leaders in government, unions, and organizations on the evolving nature of work and labor activism in welfare states.
Keywords: N.A.
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