Manual labour

Manual labour (manual labor in American English) or manual work is physical work done by people, most especially in contrast to that done by machines, and to that done by working animals. It is most literally work done with the hands (the word "manual" comes from the Latin word for hand), and, by figurative extension, it is work done with any of the muscles and bones of the body. For most of human prehistory and history, manual labour and its close cousin, animal labour, have been the primary ways that physical work has been accomplished. Mechanisation and automation, which reduce the need for human and animal labour in production, have existed for centuries, but it was only starting in the 19th century that they began to significantly expand and to change human culture. To be implemented, they require that sufficient technology exist and that its capital costs be justified by the amount of future wages that they will obviate.

Although nearly any work can potentially have skill and intelligence applied to it, many jobs that mostly comprise manual labour—such as fruit and vegetable picking, manual materials handling (for example, shelf stocking), manual digging, or manual assembly of parts—often may be done successfully (if not masterfully) by unskilled or semiskilled workers. Thus there is a partial but significant correlation between manual labour and unskilled or semiskilled workers. Based on economic and social conflict of interest, people may often distort that partial correlation into an exaggeration that equates manual labour with lack of skill; with lack of any potential to apply skill (to a task) or to develop skill (in a worker); and with low social class. Throughout human existence the latter has involved a spectrum of variants, from slavery (with stigmatisation of the slaves as "subhuman"), to caste or caste-like systems, to subtler forms of inequality.

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Latest News for: manual work

Over 40% of embezzled MGNREGA funds recovered in Bengal, LS told

Hindustan Times 26 Mar 2025
MGNREGA is a demand-driven employment scheme that guarantees 100 days of wage employment each financial year to rural households whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work.

Spring Limited-time Offer: Redkey Intelligent Lawn Mower Robot only $449!

New Atlas 26 Mar 2025
If you're still bothered by the arduous manual lawn mowing work, the Redkey MGC500/MGC1000 Intelligent Lawn Mower Robot is your best choice! This machine is equipped with C-TOF precise positioning ...

How to print D&D’s new gold dragon at home

Polygon 25 Mar 2025
But elsewhere on the internet you can also find things like free 3D-printable miniatures, including the work of mz4250 ... Now he’s well on his way through the new Monster Manual (2025) ... You can find out more about Zavala and his work on Patreon.

5 ChatGPT Prompts To Turn Your Rough Notes Into Content Gold

Forbes 25 Mar 2025
Upload your scribbled notes to ChatGPT along with these prompts. Get content ideas and drafts you can run with straight away, saving hours of manual work ... .

HCSS Unveils HeavyJob for Utility Contractors to Capture 100% of Revenue With Streamlined Work Order Management

ACCESSWIRE 25 Mar 2025
... of repeatable, short-cycle work ... Import Bulk Work Orders. Quickly upload thousands of work orders from a spreadsheet or via API integration, eliminating manual data entry and accelerating project setup.

65 trains impacted after gantry collapses on bullet train project site

Hindustan Times 25 Mar 2025
“The Down line (northbound towards Ahmedabad) train movement has been impacted, and restoration work is in full swing,” said a WR official ... Officials are still investigating whether it happened due to a manual error or technical failure.

Net zero subsidy scheme for electric vehicle chargers triggers wave of fraud

The Daily Telegraph 25 Mar 2025
A review of work by ... The department was able to recover tens of thousands of pounds of fraudulent claims with its AI tool, which the report said saved 100 years’ worth of manual verification work.

Tax1099 Urges Businesses to File 1099s, 1098s, and ACA Forms Before the March 31 Deadline

ACCESSWIRE 25 Mar 2025
It also integrates with popular accounting software (like QuickBooks, Sage, etc.), making it easy to import data directly without manual entry. Additionally, Tax1099 enables collaborative work by allowing you to invite team members to your account.

Leaders Share 11 Email Marketing Lessons in Honor of National Email Day

The Signal 25 Mar 2025
... what works and what doesn’t ... Integrating automation into email campaigns allows brands to maintain consistent communication with their audience, reduce manual work, and focus more on strategy.

Save $320 on your pool’s new best friend, the Dreame Z1 Pro cleaning robot

PC World 25 Mar 2025
Even better, you can even use the remote to direct the robot to the areas you want cleaned, steering the cleaner manually. The LiFi control system will work regardless of whether you have a freshwater or saltwater pool.

'Sweet baby Jesus': Shock as Trump military plans sent to journalist

RNZ 25 Mar 2025
"I'm not a big fan of the Atlantic ... Hegseth - or someone working for him - would have had to do it manually ... But there is a strong argument for delaying this a month, doing the messaging work on why this matters, seeing where the economy is, etc." .. ....

'Goofy' club DJ exposed as 'infamous' leader of notorious white power network: prosecutors

Raw Story 25 Mar 2025
These highlights were written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story ... In the annals of white supremacist content online, Allison’s work stood out ... In 2013, Allison got a job working the night shift at a downtown coffee shop and bakery.

A “Goofy” DJ’s Secret Life at the Center of an Online Terrorism Network

ProPublica 25 Mar 2025
In the annals of white supremacist content online, Allison’s work stood out ... In early 2024, Allison’s work caught the attention of a young man from New Jersey named Andrew Takhistov ... He was hired and began working immediately.

ViSPR Announces Major Expansion of Its Backlink Exchange Network for SEO Professionals and Agencies

GetNews 24 Mar 2025
Multi-language support – SEO professionals working across international markets get ViSPR in English, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, and Swedish ... Improve search rankings without manual outreach.

China Restoring Relics

Citrus County Chronicle 24 Mar 2025
A restorer works on the head of a mechanical doll that manually moves a fan which once kept the imperial family cool on the sprawling compound of the Forbidden City also known as the Palace Museum in Beijing, Friday, Feb ... .
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