Abstract
Labour institutions structure all forms of work, rural and urban, formal and informal, from the most visible to the most remote. The rules, practices and policies that are inherent in labour institutions influence almost every aspect of our working lives - how we enter a job, the training we receive to qualify for the job and while on the job, the conditions under which the job is performed (the employment contract including the hours, pay, benefits and safety measures associated with the work), as well as what happens when the job ends. Consider four examples of work in developing countries, two rural and two urban, and the differences in labour institutions among them. These differences reflect the system of production, prevailing social norms, and the substance and reach of the law. The character of our lives, both at home and at work, is shaped by these institutions.