unions as the collective bargaining power of the latter became more decisive. At present almost all of the paddy farming activities in the study area are carried out as per the dictates of labour union leaders and not according to the wishes of the farmers. Initially labour unions were against the introduction of any type of laboursaving technology in paddy cultivation. But nowadays they allow paddy farmers to use tractors and power tillers for ploughing provided the traditional plough labourers are given adequate compensation. Fora permanent settlement of their claim, plough labourers in the study area are to be given their three years wage in advance that amounts to Rs per acre. Similarly unlike in the past labour union leaders are now not against the use of threshing machines if the wages of reapers are not affected. However, still they strongly oppose the use of harvesting machines. Under the prevailing circumstances more mechanization of farming activities implies higher cost production. In spite of it, avast majority of the paddy farmers in the study area are in favour of the mechanization of farm works, especially the harvesting activities, so that they can complete the whole operations in time and can thereby avoid much wastages. As a traditional paddy farmer from the study area had sarcastically observed, In olden days the system was no wage for hard work, a few decades back it was fair wage for fair work and now it is good wage
