WOMEN CAMP LABOUR: A CASE STUDY ON TIRUPUR TEXTILE INDUSTRIES

Abstract: Its a known fact that unless and until women are given their rightful place, no society or country can progress. The Tirupur People Forum (TPF), a Non-Government Organisation in Tamil Nadu studied the state of affairs of the women workers in textile industries during 2001 to 2008. Young unmarried women below the poverty line had under gone worst form of exploitation in their working environment and the social activists accuse that this continues unabated. The provisions of Indian Factories Act, The Industrial Disputes Act, Minimum Wages Act and other acts empowering women and children were flouted by various textile industrial owners under the scheme launched by them called Sumangali Scheme (Marriage scheme for unmarried girls). This exploitation barring rights and privileges to women employees in textile industry amounts to unfair trade practice and a punishable offence. This is also against the norms of corporate social responsibility. This article / presentation describes the repression of women employee through Sumangali scheme in Tamil Nadu and the mismanagement of human relations legally and morally by the employers.

INTRODUCTION: INDIAN TEXTILE INDUSTRY Developing countries like India keeps a strong linkage between the textiles & clothing industry and other related sectors, both from agricultural and non-agricultural arena. India enjoys a good manpower and cheap skilled labour and thus the export orders bagged by India are high. Textile industry is one of the main pillars holding the Indian Economy. It constitutes about 14 % of industrial production, 20 % of total export earnings, 4% of GDP and direct employment to an estimated 35 million people. Indias entire share in the world textiles trade is still around 3 percent. In TamilNadu, Tirupur plays a pivotal role,

generating as much as 90% of knitted garment exports in other words, about 4% of India's total export trade. The highlights of the features of Indian Textile Industries are shown below: Table 1 Special Features of Indian Textile Industry Mill Highly capital Operates in both spinning and weaving Uses both man made and natural fibres Organised sector Spinning in the predominant process Uses spindles, looms and rotors Power-loom Highly decentralized Caters to the fabric requirements Uses both cotton and non cotton yarn Produces both gray and processed fabrics Weaving is the predominant process Hosiery Highly decentralized Caters mainly to inner garments Uses both cotton and non cotton yarn Handloom Highly decentralized Handloom technology is regionalised Operates as household units

Knitting is the most predominant process Hand weaving is the predominant process Mainly uses all natural fibres

Mainly uses shuttle looms Source: UNIDO Rangrajan, Dynami City Case Study of Tirupur From the above, it may be inferred that the first three units operate through out the year with both cotton and non-cotton yarns.

TAMILNADU Tamil Nadu is traditional home to many natural resources and isan important exporter of. tanned skin, hides, leather goods, cotton goods and yarn, tea, coffee, spices, engineering goods, tobacco, handicrafts and black granite. It has a total population of 664 million and about 50% are women. Tamil Nadu is the fifth largest economy in India and is also a leading state in South India.. The State Domestic Product is about Rs.856 billion and current exports are around Rs 153 billion. FDI inflows are exceedingly well in Tamil Nadu- ranking fourth among the states in terms of value of FDI investments and second in terms of the number of projects in the pipelines as per the statistics projected by the Government of Tamilnadu.

Tirupur is a district formed in October 2008 and the Tirupur town has been announced as a corporation governed by a Mayor.. Tirupur city is the administrative headquarters of this district. And is spread over a stretch of about 5,106.33 sq km. The new district has two revenue divisions (Tirupur and Dharapuram), comprising six taluks namely Tirupur, Palladam, Avinashi, Dharapuram, Kangayam and Udumalpet. The district has one Municipal Corporation, six municipalities, 16 panchayat unions, 17 town panchayats and 273 village panchayats under its jurisdiction. Table 2 The population of Tirupur District Total Population Rural area Male Female Under the year of 6 age Literacy rate 76% 19,17,033 56% 52% 48% 10% Male 82%, Female 69% Fig 1 Map of Tiruppur District

Source Government of India Census 2001

Textile Industry in Tiruppur The Garment industry in Tirupur has been developed for decades as a family business. There are different units for knitting, compacting, calendaring, dyeing, bleaching, fabric painting, embroidery, cutting, stitching. Latest technology is used for processing the various elements of garments and the quality achieved is of international standards. The various trade associations accuse that the infrastructure that plays an important role in developing the textile industry in Tirupur suffers from infrastructure inadequacy. However some infrastructure project for water supply, wind mill power supply, reverse osmosis system, bridge across the Noyyal River are promoted by the state government. Also the central government launched a Technology Up gradation Fund Schemes (TUFS) to upgrade technology in different segments of textile and jute industries and incentives from Government such as establishment of Power loom Service Center, Computer Aided Design Center and Group work shed scheme etc. have been extended. There exist local representative institutions and support bodies that initiate the development of the knitwear sector in Tiruppur. Textile Committee under the Ministry of Textiles, Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC), The South Indian Hosiery Manufacturers Association (SIHMA), Tirupur Exporters Association (TEA), Knit Cloth Manufacturers Association (KCMS) are some of the most important associations operating in Tiruppur extending a trade related help to the entrepreneurs.

PSGIM (PSG Institute of Management) made a study during the Financial Year 2007-08, found that the exports from Tirupur declined by 10%. It clocked Rs. 9,950 crores as against Rs. 11,000/- crores registered in 2006-07. Tirupur was usually experiencing 15% growth after abolition of quota and if the decline of10% in 2007- 08 is included, then the total export loss from Tirupur works about 25%. . The various associations in Tiruppur demanded the Central Government to remove Fringe Benefit Tax, payment of all Service Taxes, reduction of interest rates and refund of state levies and taxes to overcome this situation.

Exporters in this hosiery hub have all along depended on the US market. The massive fallout within the retail sector in the US and with stores such as WalMart, JC Penney, Macys and Ann Taylor, among others, forced to scale back or down shutters, the exporters here are in a quandary. Every competing country such as Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan or Taiwan is eager, hungry to fetch orders. The US orders have fallen by 30 to 35 per cent volume-wise, and the price negotiation is water-tight. Exporters were operating on wafer-thin margins. Now, they have started to compromise on their returns just to keep the plant running and to enable them to service their loans.

SUMANGALI SCHEME A decade ago, the owners of textile industries in Coimbatore introduced Sumangali scheme. It is propagated that Sumangali scheme is attractive to young girls, especially poor and unmarried girls, between16 to 20 years of age. This scheme provides a minimum of three years contract to the girls who are promised a consolidated remuneration of Rs 30,000 to 50,000 after the completion of contract. The Tiruppur Democratic Forum, a social organization at Tiruppur conducted surveys and released papers on this scheme and dubbed this scheme as an explicit exploitation of women labour force. Its survey revealed the following statistics: Table 3 Estimated Garment Women workers in Tiruppur District (Important Places) Sl.No Panchayat/Municipality Garment Companies Number of companies under Hostel Scheme 1 2 3 4 5 Avinashi Tiruppur Tiruppur Municipality Nallur Velampalayam Total 79 635 707 91 190 1702 31 62 83 8 7 191 8565 13990 7390 1350 1250 32545 Total No.of women workers

Table 4 Sl.No

Estimated Garment Women workers under Sumangali Scheme Panchayat/Municipality Garment Companies Number of companies under Sumangali Scheme Total No.of women workers

1 2 3 4 5

Avinashi Tiruppur Tiruppur Municipality Nallur Velampalayam Total

79 635 707 91 190 1702

12 12 1 0 0 25

5950 2840 100 0 0 8890

Another study was conducted by Social Awareness and Voluntary Education (SAVE), an NGO based in Tiruppur, that informs 85 per cent of the workers are from Tamil Nadu and 15 per cent from Kerala. The typical advertisement issued in the form of pamphlets by some of the mills or hosiery units were recovered by the TDF that read as follows: Employees Wanted: We are on the look out for young, unmarried girls in the age group of 1820 for 3 years work on contract. Essential Qualifications: Height: 5 ft 2 inches (155 cm); Education: 10/12 Std or should know at least to read/write Tamil. The contract term begins on the completion of a 3-month training. In the 1st, 2nd and 3rd year of the contract, wages will be paid at the rate of Rs 1,300, Rs 1,500 and Rs 1,700 per month, respectively. An extra payment of Rs 200 will be given per month as incentive for taking up extra shifts. After the successful completion of 3 years, a bulk amount of Rs 25,000 will be given as assistance for their marriage. The girls are also entitled to PF/ESI and other benefits, under government norms. Besides these, every year they are entitled to 9 days leave with wages, which includes Pongal, Republic Day, May Day, August 15, October 2, Pooja, Deepawali (two days), etc. During Deepawali, they will be given a festival bonus. During the training period, Rs 20 per day will deducted for food

Safe and secure accommodation is provided in the factory premises itself. Lady wardens and lady security officers will guard the girls. During the training period, the girls will be sent home, if necessary, only with their parents. Parents should accompany the girls for the interview. Outstation candidates will be given their bus fare on submitting their tickets. Before recruitment, a medical check-up of the eyes and fingers will be conducted Interested candidates please contact the Personal/Production Managers at the earliest with their parents." The reason for recruiting the girls is that they are obedient, will not create any labour problem and are dedicated to their work. Girls are really concerned about the problems faced by their families. They even sacrifice their sleep to work overtime so that they save more money. The girls are less troublesome and are vulnerable. The agents are the intermediaries between the owners and women in the Tirupur Textile industries. Agents get commission based on the number of women labour they bring to the unit; an agent gets a minimum of Rs 500 per person. This amount is given after the girl puts in 15 days of service. If, by chance, the girl leaves the company, the agent will have to pay Rs 1,000 to the management, and thus the agent becomes the guardian of the girls.

The Work Schedule under Sumangali Scheme: The working schedule for the girls is very highly rigorous. The first shift works between 7.30am to 4.30pm, second shift from 4.00 pm to 11.00 pm, third shift from 11.00 pm to 7.00 am. Mr.Saravanakumar, an activist with the Centre for Social Education and Development (CSED), Avinashi informed that no tea break is given, instead, tea is served in the workplace so that the girls do not waste time.. In the working hours the girls have to face the verbal and sexual abuse from the supervisory level staff. They had provided 10 ft x 10 ft dark room, where 10-12 girls stayed with their luggage. No beds were provided; the girls had to lie down on mats on the floor. The food was neither tasty nor nutritious. Another social activist Mr.Senthil Raj, CITU District secretary of Somanur, said that the situation of the girls is so pathetic that even the letters they send or receive are screened minutely.

Table 6 Period

Wages paid under Sumangali Scheme Daily Wages Wages per (Rs) month (Rs) 1,020 1,680 1,140 1,200 1,260 1,350 Wages during the period (Rs) 6,120 6,480 6,840 7,200 7,560 8,100 42,300

16 months 712 months 1318 months 1924 months 2530 months 3136 months

34.00 36.00 38.00 40.00 42.00 45.00

Food Accommodation

and

15

450

16,200 26,100 8,700

Total earning in 3 years Net Annual Income

42,300 16,200

The social activists of Tiruppur allege that lack of sleep, mental and physical fatigue, health problems related to tiredness, low calorie food and malnutrition, problems related to menstruation cycle and headache are the health disorders found among women.Women workers in the Hostel scheme undergo psychological trauma due to the fact that they live in dungeon-like spaces.

Sumangali Scheme under the purview of the Indian Labour Law: Labours laws in India always stood for the welfare of the labour since they are the backbone for every development in the industry. The Sumangali Scheme cannot fulfil the basic norms of industrial welfare acts. The Indian Factories Act, 1948: This act provides special privileges for working women and children. The labour welfare inspector or inspector of factories have to play a major role in inspecting the factories. The inspector and other officer appointed on sec 8 are deemed to be a public servant with in the meaning of Indian penal code, 1860[sec.8 (9)]. The chief inspectors have to examine the textile premises for the Health, Safety and

welfare [sec (11-20)] of the women worker in the textile industry. He is expected to make provisions for maintenance of health, cleanliness, prevention of overcrowding and amenities like lighting, ventilation, drinking water etc. Under (sec 55), working women should be given at-least half an hour rest for every 5 hours in the working schedule. In addition, under Sec 59, extra wages have to be given for overtime (more then an hour in any day or more then 48 hours in any week). Under the Industrial disputes Act, 1947, the women workers are entitled for individual and collective action to get redressal of their grievances and also eligible to form a trade union under the Indian Trade Unions Act, 1926. The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act 1970 prohibits a contractor to employ a female worker between 6.00AM and 9.00 PM with the exception of midwives and nurses in hospital and dispensaries. The Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946 provides safeguards against sexual harassment of women workers at their work places. Complaints of sexual harassment are to be inquired into by a complaint committee consisting of a woman chairperson and two other members, which will also be a woman. But unfortunately, in no place the companies or the controlling government agencies performed such activities as per the allegations made by social activists of Tiruppur and Coimbatore.

Conclusion: From the above, it is found that the exploitation of the women in Coimbatore, Erode, and Tiruppur districts go unabated and the government agencies show a deaf year to this serious problem or take a lenient view. A case was filed by one Ms.Shanthi against M/S. A.G.Spinning Mills, Coimbatore before the Tamilnadu States Commission for Women and a public hearing was made. The Hindu, reported on 7th August 2009, as follows: The six-member jury took up her case and instructed the mill owners to pay up within a week the amount due. For the relatives of young girls who died while working in the mills, compensation was worked out and notices issued to the owners. Focussing primarily on granting compensation and paying salary and contract amounts to women who were allegedly defrauded by the spinning mills under the Sumangali Thittam, the public hearing may have just solved the compensation issues of about 40 people.

But, this is only the tip of the iceberg. According to information received by the Campaign for the Rights of the Unorganised Workers, there are over 37,000 girls and women working in 913 cotton mills in Tamil Nadu. This shows the existence of the draconian Sumangali scheme that exploits the young women against the law of the land and the textile industry of India should condemn and abjure it.

Bibliography: 1. Rangarajan T., Case Study on Tiruppur, Case Study No.unido.org 41692, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation 2. The Indian Factories Act, 1948 3. The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 4. The Minimum Wages Act, 1948 5. The Indian Trade Unions Act, 1926 6. The Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 7. The Hindu dated 7th August 2009 8. TDF (Tiruppur Democratic Forum), Adolescent Dreams Shattered in the lure of Marriage, Sumangali System, a new form of bondage in Tamilnadu, A survey report (2007) 9. Case Study made by Social Awareness and Voluntary Education (SAVE), Kerala (2008)