STRATEGY FOR ORGANIZING HOME-BASED WORKERS
Case Study of the Ready-Made Garment Workers of Ahmedabad
by
MIHIR BHATT
SUBMITTED
DEPARTMENT
ON THE
TO THE
OF URBAN STUD I ES AND PLANN I NG
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
15th OF MAY 1987
OF THE
REQUIREMENTS OF THE DEGREE OF
MASTER
IN CITY PLANNING
at the
MASSACHUSETTS
INSTTTUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY
May 1987
c
Mihir
Bhatt
1987
to M. I. T. permission to reproduce
The author hereby grants
in whole or in part.
thesis
copies of this
distribute
Signature
of
____
Author
Department of UrtrAn
Certified
Accepted
by
and to
Studies and
Planning
-_ -_ - - -- _ _ _ _
-- -Lkiuren Bent(on
Thesi s Supervi sor
& Plianning
Prof.. of Urban Studies
Assistant
by
Prof .
PhiV C1 ay
Chairman,
Deartment
Gra uate
MfstcINSTITUTC2
OF TECHNOLOGY
1
JUN 0 8 198 7
LIBRARIES
Committee
ABSTRACT
This study
is about the struggle of around 1.,500 homewho found a way
based garment workers of Ahmedabad, India,
wages and better working conditions by
for higher
to fight
joining a trade union, the Self Employed Women's Association
my field
based on
is
study
part
This three
(SEWA).
interviews of home-workers, union organizers, union leaders,
part is about
The first
state officials.
and
employers,
The
homeworkers.
organizing strategy for
its
SEWA and
second part shows in great detail how these homeworkers were
the response of the
was
organized into a union and what
state.
the
findings about
relevant
lists
The third part
get.
workers
that
for organizing homewrkers;
strategy
or gan i z ed
aro.ind
shared
-i
nterest
i n work-related i ssues,
that various trade and occupational groups sharing a common
collective bargaining is
and that
collaborate,
interest
against the employers as well as the regulatory institutions
It
also emphasizes that the strategy for
of the state.
action of union's struggle
organizing homeworkers is a joint
which is carried out by
of
cooperatives,
and development
This strategy increases
actions.
direct, legal, and policy
state policies and helps the
of homeworkers in
visibility
interests over
business
state counterbalance claims of
public resoLIrces.
the state' s vi ew on the
There are conclusitons about
what they
for not
as SEWA
formation of organizations such
potential is in asserting their
their
what
for
but
are.
as
organi.zations
state should see these
The
demands.
reducing the burden of its
regulatory and welfare agencies,
and as exampl es of
talents,
entrepreneurial
encouraging
innovative experiments.
have Made SOME
part,
I
At
the end of the third
recommendations for the state about providing democratic and
trade union and cooperatives.
setup combining
autonomous
should be provided with infrastructure.
Such organisations
credit. and training.
The state should take actions to stop
outright evasions of the regulations as well as expand the
scCoe and reinterpret existing labor and industrial laws.
ACKINOWLEDGEMENTS
to thank
I would like
of gratitude,
deep sense
With a
advisor,
my thesis
to be
who agreed
Benton,
Prof. Lauren
to put th:is thesis
valuable guidance
gave
and generously
Her
together.
research will
writing and independent
suggestions about
Prof.
always be useful to me in the future.
precious comments
very
provided
reader,
Lisa Peattie, my
I must thank both
way I should look at my thesis.
about the
patience and encouragement.
their
of them for
of SFWA
Jumani
Usha
and
Ela Bhatt, Renana Jhabvala,
deep
their
shared
and
time
their
with
generous
very
were
women
self-employed
organizing
of
issues
the
into
insight
Jetunbibi, Bilkhisbano,
Karimabibi,
Arvindaben,
workers.
days
spent
ben
Dhangauri
and
M:irai,
Vinaben,
Taraben,
garment
the
among
efforts
organizing
their
recalling
Labor
The
them.
of
all
thanks to
Many
workers.
Sahib, and his staff were candid and
Commissioner, Babbur
I
views and outlook on the home-based workers.
shared their
deeply appreciate their contributions.
very helpful in
Harrison were
and Prof.
Prof. Dunlap
them for their
thank
I
must
stages of my work;
the initial
class on
Tendler's
Prof.
the thes:is proposal.
comments on
in
useful
evaluating organizations and projects was very
and
selectino relevant points from the pool of information
interview
material.
Susan Matteuchi,
Eric Begleiter,
Moana Appleyard, and
a much needed audience for my
have provided
Penny Czarra
I thank them for their patience.
monologues about my work.
Parents are difficult
to thank enough for all
done to support and encourage me..
they have
And so are Amee and EBM.
CONTENTS
I NTRODUCT ION
PART
I
Employed Women's Association
The Self
Home-Based Workers
Worker's Issues
The SEWA Strategy
PART
11.
16
20
II
The Setting
Issues of Garment Workers
The Struggi e
PART
"73
III
Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations
References and Bibliography
60
STRATEGY FOR ORGANIZING HOME-BASED
of the Ready-Made Garment
Case Study
Ahmedabad
WORKERS
Workers of
INTRODUCTION
meager
are
home-based
provide
soc:iety
and
to
The
care.
health
thinks
of
Labor
as
stitching
their
not consider
does
Department
work,
or
credit
protect
to
and no institutions
and employment
wages
their
for raw
dependent on middlemen
There are no laws
and sales
Materials
products at
their
sell
workers who
and are
rate
piece
These women
'conditions?
working
better
wages and
get higher
to
night do
at
late
r=amshackle houses
their
in
oarments
stitching
living
making a
women
illiterate
and
What can poor
them
as
mere
housewives.
Those unacqi..iainted
there
women would probably feel
women
could
do
around
1,500
such
Ahmedabad,
bring
India,
to
was very little
the
conditions.
But
change their
home-based
found
about some change
of these
with the struggle
garment
workers
in
and try
to
a
way to
fight
in
their
circumstances
by
joining
a
trade
Assoc i ati
on
(SEWA.
by and
for
homewor kers i n other c i ties
unorganized
( Peattie
economy
);
1979
us what
1s
many more such
organizations of
on
sector of
the informal
in
workers
to
workers
Indi a.
of
studies
few
are
There
tel
to protect
be taken
Women's
what has been done
union
trade
a
into
could
actions
My study of
these unorganized home-based
organized
get
Self Employed
the
union,
even
fewer
urban
studies have
been done on the process of organizing itself.
The
(
research emphasis has been more on the definition
IL- 1972
),
linkages
of
characteristics
Very
organized sector.
improve
to
workers
Weeks
1975
for
wages,
their
benefits,
legal
what
question
of
actions could
be taken
to improve
light
organizations
population
on
the
of
this
that
is
state's
large
currently
regulatory insti tuti ons.
or policy
their lot.
study addresses some of these questions
some
and
Neither has any attention been
).
the
given to
by these
and
( Portes 1981)
( Peattie 1979)
working conditions
(
done
the
has been
attention
little
been
has
what
given to
with
sector
unorganized
the
1978 ), and
( Papola
My
and throws
response
to
the
portion
of
the
not covered by its
The findings
those
interested
hi gher
wages,
may
study
to
a trade
as
act
can
conveying,
fc'rmul ating,
for
representative
useftul.
how
in
workers
unorganized
of
be
also
interested
government departments
union
the mainstream
and recognition in
The
economy.
increased
better working c onditions,
bargaining power,
for
homeworkers
organizing
in
to
information
may provide use-ful
It
two groups.
be useful to
study may
of this
a
and
implementing state policy.
major
The
did
these
different
groups
and
locations,
make
their
audible to policy
laws or
live
from
'hand
victimization and
no union and
no
workers bargain
trade unions felt
Without
makers?
how did
job security,
How
did they
visible and their problems
work
hard
get organized to
state?
claim the attention of the
my
scattered :in
women,
How
study are:
examined in
have
I
questions
to
these workers,
mouth',
sub-contracting?
specific
employer,
for higher
wages?
at a loss,
any protective
stand
against
When there was
how
did the
When the other
what strategy did SEWA
adopt to organize these women workers,
had never even been out of
who
many of whom
their own neighborhoods
been allowed to make any major economic
or had ever
own
decision about their
in
observers of
in
with the
leaders
of
about
SEWA
strategy adopted
the members of
the
to the
the effectiveness
of the
and the workers' response,
SEWA about the
garment
views on what was done for
about their
and
history
workers,
of organizing these
issues
organizers of SEWA about
I
home-based garment
I talked at great length
Ahmedabad.
workers
crucial
and infrmed
of
struggle
the
visited
Conducted extensive
the active participants
of
I
questions,
and
1987
of
January
interviewl
specific
these
To answer
SEWA
struggle?
to this
state respond
did the
How
families?
also studied some of SEWA's records,
and to
i ndustry and
and by them.
reports,
and
news periodicals.
In
addition,
Commissioner
their
changing
and workers,
I
also
and two
interviewed
of
his
att-itudes
about the
and implementation
and employment policies.
staff
the
in
Labor
members about
towards home-based
and SEWA's efforts
asked them
formulation
I
work
organizing them.
influence of SEWA on
of the state's
labor
the
pay
homeworkers,
finished garments at
abot.t
bus i nessmen
organizing
first
major stri.uggles in
This part also tells
the strategy that
adopted
in
organizing the homeworkers.
city
The second part of the study analyses the
the
thi s
garment
ready-made
issues of the
socio-
their
workers,
garment
ready-made
background,
and
industry,
study
the
workers.
how
shows
to
their
study lists
for
conclusions
formation o-f
such as SEWA.
about
homeworkers.
how
With
these
of the
The third part of th:is
efforts.
important findings
organizing
and
the major
homeworkers were organized and the response
state
also
It
setup.
and their
c onditions,
has
The
Employed Women's
Self
the
home-based
the
organizing.
SEWA
SEWA' s
parts.
three
into
organizational
its
Association and
economic
to
response
divided
is
describes
part
describes
I talked to these
users.
therir
the
efforts.
study
My
and sell
to
margin to other
profit
large
final
to
or
traders
them piece rates,
a
cloth
provide
capital,
who invest
businessmen
some of the
talk to
chance to
had a
I alSo
the
about the strategy
also
It
state
should
draws
view
organi zations of unprotected workers,
In
this part
I
have also
made some
recommendations
support
and
unorganized
for
protect
workers
the
state
homeworkers
int general.
about
in
how it
particular
can
and
PART
I
THE SELF EMPLOYED WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION
which
SEWA,
Women's
an
is
lanquages,
in
Tservice'
means
of
acronym
the
many
Indian
Self Employed
SEWA is a registered trade
Association.
union of 22.,000 poor self-employed women working in
in
SEWA
the surrounding villages.
of the Women's Wing of
out
1972,
Association
(TLA).
the 1st
union until
was founded in
Labor
the Textile
SEWA worked within the TLA as a
1981,
of May,
and since then
( SEWA Annual
has been an independent union
1985)
of Ahmedabad and
the city
economy of
the informal
Report.
-
ideology
Gandhian
major source of
of
peaceful
inspiration for SEWA.
struggle is
goal
The
a
is
negotiations without antagonism between workers and
owners.
This
better working
final
her
also
meains
that
conditions are
higher
only a
wages and
part of the
goal of development of the worker and
life.
With
ooals of SEWA are :
this
background,
his or
the immediate
1.
of
work
To make the
self-employed
the
women
workers vis:ible.
2.
To increase their income.
over the income
control
To increase their fair
in the family and the society.
Based on these goals,
scale
Smal I
selling goods
such
Laborers
as
providing
vegetables,
laundering,
small
the
SEWA,
c onstr uc tion,
such as
(incense sticks),
Agarbattis
foot-wear,
furniture,
see the efforts of SEWA
Later-,
in
in
this
organizing
food
study we
a part
type of home-based workers.
Though all
o1f
cooking,
products
making
pr 0ducts, and handicrafts.
of this
eggs,
and agriculture.
cigarettes),
garments,
fruits,
catering,
for
labor
Home-based producers
Bidis
hawkers
petty traders,
selling various services and skills
including cleaning,
transportation,
vendors,
and garments.
household goods,
will
organized its
who are constituted of:
members,
or
SEWA has
three types of workers are members
the membership comprises only a portion of
total
number
of
the
workers in
the various
info:-rmal
its
and occupations
trades
hofmeworkers are organiZed,
mass of
a small
Even if
the
trades group or occupation.
same
the
of
all
organize
to
impossible and even needless
workers
SEWA has found it
organizing,
efforts of
many
In
the economy.
of
they can influence
with the right type of strategy,
and thus,
market
the labor supply of
the
entire
of
the
collective harcaining and
benefits
bring
protection
the workers.
to all
Each member pays 5
fee
union
the
to
to
representatives
Secretaries,
President,
22
the
the
General
Committee,
Executive
of
and
Board
The
members.
one
allows the
members
turn
The
one
union has
and around 7 admini strators
is
electoral
this
to
come
to
of
150
to the
two
Vicea team
and
Process that
members of the trade groups,
some ongoing struggle,
selects
elect
Secretary,
General
organizers
It
Board
25
in
and a President.
accountants.
membership
elects
who
the membership
as
rupees
engaged in
the leadership
positions in the uniion
SEWA is
national
in
level,
organizing its
own federation at the
called SEWA Bharat,
bringing the issues of its
to be effective
members and the other
workers
into
the
and
Allied Workers
and
of the ILO invariably makes a visit
in
and
Geneva
of SEWA
(ILO)
and
Garment
The Director General
(ITLGWF).
Worker's Federation
is
in
(IFPAAW)
Leather,
Text.ile,
International
1984
of Plantation,
Organization
Labor
International
in
(IUFW)
This has increased the influence
1.985.
on the
Federati. on
International
Agriculture,
in
of Food Workers
Union
International
the
wi th
af f i I i at i on
1 ong-awai ted
found
SEWA has
level,
international
the
at
Similarly,
poJicies.
national
the
in
-fo-uS
to SEWA when he
India.
Setup
The Organ:izational
has
SEWA
which
wing,
economic development
own cooperative
the
wings::
four
bank;
the
trade union;
the
includes SEWA's
and the research
trust;
and study wing.
The trade union takes Lip the complaints of the
members,
help
organizing
of
bargaining
the
and
new trade groups,
workers
carries
negotiations
for
and with the
out
collective
the
issues
of
work,
wages,
thirteen
cooperatives
kerosene vendors,
garment
other
It
trades.
for
workers in
training
as bainbo 0
such
for
work and
new ski lls such as
al so Orovides
It
and radio repairing.
patch-work
printers.,
and
provides
and introduces
pottery making,
block
mriakers,
also
upgrading existing skills
train:ing wing
and
development
economic
The
runs
and working conditions.
supplies of raw materials like bamboo an d cloth
Many of the
various cooperatives and trade groups.
marketing
and
to
self-employed women to make t he
illiterate
the
accounting
of
the SEWA
and related
which provides czredit
Cooperative Bank,
services
and accounts in
hold shares
SEWA members
market
The
opportunities.
for
most of
is
bank
these
a handy
of saving
place for these women to develop a habit
own accounts.
and being able to handle to their
The SEWA Trust provides resources such as seed
money to set up a
outlet
market
funds for
for
the
It
new activities.
i nsurance,
support,
maternity
and health-care.
to
cooperatives,
and security coverage to its
life
room
cooperative.
also
start
an
and initial
provides welfare
members in
benefit,
the form of
widowhood
surveys
and
research
The
of
the
condi t:ions
carries
these
and
out
workers,
runs
a
mob ilizing
at
aimed
publications
of
situation,
their
documents
wing
study
two
favorable
support of the middle class and the policy makers.
WORKERS
HOME-BASED
of
Many
the
(cigarette)
Agarbatti
bags,
match-sticks,
roll
papad,
in
many
of SEWA are home-based
(incense
shell
locations in
villages
sticks),
and electric items.
cotton
pods
and hand print cloth.
surrounding
make
who
those
including
producers
embroider
members
the city
and have
working conditions.
Socio-Economic Conditions
16
Bidi
paper
They also
and ground nuts,
They are scattered
of Ahmedabad and the
dissimilar work and
it
Jhabvala
as 10
to 12
season
Js
weeks,
making
them
and pushing
money lenders.
month, less than
rupees a
by the state.
declared
wages
wages are also less than those of other
street
and
vending
the formal
in
labor.
manual
These
workers in
The illiteracy
higher than 707. which is
rate of these workers is
big hinderance
for
them more than 3 to 6
give
up to 130
minimum
the
(
When the
any work
difficult
to
debt
not
does
work
rupees a day,
the
survival
their
perpetual
into
Their
they are without
ebb,
its
work
as long
hours to
day in the season.
hours a
at
from 4
They toil
1.
1986
their
combine
work with production
domestic
and
household
These
action.
the workers
have found that
reports
of
course
its
out
chart
and
workers to understand
of home-based
the condition
on
surveys and reports
out manv
SEWA carries
a
their attempts to gain access to
welfare institutions
regulatory and
of
the state.
Home-based production is
children
labor involving
sharper
eyes
in
the
with
parents'
supple
bodies and
production process of goods
like carpets and hand looms.
go to school
also a form of family
These children do not
and therefore end up taking over their
occupation
as a source of employment.
The Employers
of home-based workers range -from
The employers
regular
businessmen
well-established
laws
a1bor
welfare
and social
the
on
where
from
workers
it
is
for production.
then receive the finished product to
traditional
to
order
provision o-f
to
employers have warehouses
raw materials,
shops and
in
work
security.
Often these
home-based
put: out'
save
and
many liarge
Often
men .
companies
manufacturing
avoid
mi ddle
and
contractors
sub-
to
store
to
distributed
The employers
sell
in
other
Depending upon the market and
outlets.
the production process may or
practice,
may not involve sub-contr acting.
The
common
most
entrepreneur
is
the small
trader who lives in
the same area with the workers.
comes from
the same community and has his
He also
family and relatives
workers.
Often he
based worker in
workers
are
working for him
has worked
the past.
directly
In
as home-based
himself
this
economically,
as a home-
situation,
the
socially,
and
to
very difficuIt
This makes it
conditions.
living
working and
and resigned about their
are fatalistic
Many
on the employers.
dependent
even politically
organize them.
Legal
Protection
laws
Representation and Dispute Act,
and many
wages,
higher
workers,
and
workers
event,
and work-site in
by
finding
workers
institutions.
in
definition of
these laws makes it
to fight
their case.
collects exceptions
examples
of
An
In
to the rules
inclusion of some of the
regulations
the
example is
board established for the
health,
the
to either set a precedent by
SEWA tries
a case or
filing
employers to
their
better working conditions,
very difficult for SEWA
this
the Factories Act,
However,
and social welfare.
work,
Industrial
other provisions of the Labor Laws can be
applied to these
provide
should and
and regulations.
the
Act,
Wages
Minimum
The
many
under
can be covered
workers
these
found that
SEWA has
or
the
the special
Bidi workers
housing, and education faci lities.
welfare
welfare
to provide
ToYlicy
Protection
the policies related to technology
Changes in
or
do not tend to take home-based
industrialization
on their
of
for
industry
Bidi
The automation
employment.
and
incomes,
the
This has an adverse effect
account.
workers into
rendered
ex:ample,
thousands of home-based workers unemployed.
WORKERS'
ISSUES
Employer Related
What is
disadvantage
example,
Issues
to
the workers ( Jhabvala 1986).
form
the
in
cost
lot
a
saves
of
workshop as goods are produced in
this
itself
health of the workers
and
workers.
their
small
But
homes.
buy the tools or
production.
in
the
But the
the machines
on
is
causes
is
employer
the
advantage
the employer
overhead
to
anw
a
by
a
For
having no
building or a
the homes
of
the
hazardous to the
overcrowding
in
The employer does not have to
equipment
required
for the
workers have to invest money
the
borrowed
20
loans
from the
not
do
employers
a
give
but the high rents
machine,
Often the
compensate -for the cost of the machine.
in
oil
like
These costs are not consi dered
result,
a
as
the wages and,
orices of
these materials affect
directly.
Thus,
low wages,
they get
job insecurity,
the
earnings
workers'
employers,
the
in
rise
the
workers are
that the
clear
is
it
subsidiz ing
almost
threads in
and
products
food
making
satitching garment s.
in
for some of the raw materials
to pay
workers have
is
Sometimes the
wages.
their
in
considered
for the workers
hig e>pense
This
spend a lot
tools and
maintain these machines and
on repa:i rs.
also have to
The workers
lender-s.
private money
and in
return
and no welfare
benefi ts.
protected
treat
them
way
below
against
care,
it
so
higher
many
under
a
like
holidays,
labor
wages,
and have
and housing.
important
to
of
provide
employers
the
labor,
pay them
no protection
no bere-fits of healthTherefore
SEWA finds
bargain
for
and meanwhile provide
soci al. servi ces on the other hand.
21
or
unionized
organize them to
wages on the one hand,
them better
laws,
captive pool
minimum
injuries,
not
are
homeworkers
Because
Tr-ade Union Related Issues
traditi
The
much
such
to
reach
workers because
there is
away
wages
the
pulling
down
workers.
Often these trade
on the
that
of
activities
would only
this
any
sometimes even a ban
homeworkers,
or
difficult
to
many locations,
have dissimilar jobs,
a common
interest in
The same factors led
homeworkers and
movement.
The trade
grounds that they are
not share
bargaining.
without
on the
organize homeworkers
and do
to carry on
welfare.
unions of the organized sector find it
scattered in
not realizing
allow employers
protection
and
found to be
unions are
sub-contracting acti vities
the e-xploitative
providing
employment
the
the organized sector
of
restrictions and
arguing for
no clear employer-
trade unions also see
The
snatching
India.
about
negative attitude
employee relationship.
these workers
in
homeworkers
a rather
have
they
Often
trade
attempt
to
have not done
unions
onal
bring them in
collective
SEWA to organize
the mainstream labor
THE STRATEGY
kinds of
All
three
employers,
but
Policy Action.
only
at
welfare
laws and
Often
these
WORK
and
understanding of work
and
work
conditions of
sector of the urban economy.
are
in
the informal
in
these actions
Also all
union
trade
of
form
the
on the
from the
so different
workers
the
the formal
of
workers
which is
sector,
industrial
and
based
are
definitions
The
state.
in
defined
are
they
as
WORKERS
and
concepts of
the
at
are directed
the
of
and
not
the regulatory
at
institutions
the
actions
policies.
are directed
actions
also
Action,
Legal
Direct Action,
actions:
three
as comprising
strategy
its
SEWA defines
struggJe
or
cooperative development.
Di rect
Acti ons:
the employers are in
and
The direct
the form
There
negotiations.
actions againist
marches,
of strikes,
also
are
actions such as providing an alternative
development
supply of
raw materials to home-based workers from one of the
SEWA cooperatives
employer
over
to
the'
reduce
workers.
the
control
of the
The direct actions
against the welfare institutions
are
in
the form o.f
presentations and helping to increase access o-f the
workers
to
institutions
such
as
hosp i tals
and
banks.
Legal Actions:
employers are in
indi
v i dual
The legal
the
vi cti
form of
iwi zati
on
actions against the
filing
court
cases of
and
gett i ngC
informal
transactions registered or documented.
separate
labor
grievances
examples
insti tut
and
of
legal
the
welfare
tripartite
actions
for
workers'
are
boards
against
the
state
ions.
PRo icy Actions:
wider
against
and
related to women,
and others.
SEWA
Sel f-Emp I oyed,
Participation
bodies,
for
tribuinals
Demands
larger
Secretary
in
has given SEWA
Anasuva and We The
their
many national
and
the Upper
a
to the class strggle
publications,
labor boards,
chance
mouth
pi eces.
seminars,
planning
having the
House of
to
SEWA Seneral
Indian Parliament
influenc:.e government
policies and their implementation.
24
the workers
of
issues
to poverty,
are
in
are aimed
The policy actions
There is
SEkWA follows.
are the starting
no final
is
It
strate9y for
the
work-related
point of the struggle.
actions lead to the legal
the policy
orgAniing
actions.
t ak en si mul t aneousI Y.
Often
act.ions.
that
issues that.
The direct
and in
ti..irn to
these actions have to be
PART 11
THE SETTING
established in
trade
1.415., on the trade route between the
Delhi,
capital,
Artisans produced
economic activities.
them face
through
or
consumers
of
However,
role
arti
rural
sans
home-based
in
the
industrialization
in
city
Industrialization reached the
part of the 18th century,
to -race to
vendors.
the latter
displacing a large number
home-based
and
the
producers.
has continued its
production
in
city-economy
and
for exports
textiles
these goods at home and sold
the
The
items for domestic use and
manufacturing of hand-loomed
were major
Khambhat.
sea port,
and the
hand-crafted
of
Ahmedabad was
India,
in
Like many other cities
rules
spite
of
and regulations
related to it.
Today 5
mills in
there are 64 textile
and most of the
?00,000 textile
of the Textile Labor
workers are members
Association
26
the city,
(TLA).
The rest
of the workers have formal employment in
other than
an estimate
of Ahmedabad
sector
informal
the
that
suggests
However,
workers.,
these
of
number
on the
figures
any
collect
not
do
departments
government
other
the
and
census
The
Sector.
the informal
of
are part
or
textiles,
industries
constitutes around 45 to 60% of the work force of
Papola,
employment
growth
in
sector
( Mehta,
this
in
was absorbed
sector workers play a significant role in
form one
Ahmedabad and
economy of
of the
informal
the informal
Thus,
1962).
M.
70%
decade,
last
the
In
1978.).
(
the urban
of the largest
constituencies of voters.
and many reports,
direct involvement
From its
of
SEWA estimates that 40%
Workers
women.
workers are
these
in
and labor
pullers.
produce
Many others
sell them on their own;
their
work
called piece-rate
is
focLsed
on
workers who sell
laundrymen or cartgoods
at
home and
they are called own-account
Those who get piece-rate wages
home-based workers.
for
like
sector
sector include
this
the petty traders and vendors, or
their service
informal
from employers or wholesalers are
home-based workers.
the
This study
home-based piece-rate garment
workers or homeworkers.
The Ready-Made
Garment
Industry
can
be
the modern factories,
goods in
industry producirg
remaining home-industry s..pplying garments
arid the
in
for the middle-and-] ower-income people
and
capi tal
of
make a living
the
c:ity,
which
of
the remaining
to
are home-based.
to a
find an occupation to
1986).
Hegde
There
one third
in
piece-rate
3,000 workers,
of
which 904
Each employer has a minimum
max.mum of
and
are middle-men
provide
They
around
producers
are
two-thirds
subcontractors.
employment
1986,
the
ready-made garment businessmen
100
and
sellers
or
( Acharya
around
i nfrastructure,
or
managed to
homewrkers have
the city
Without any state
villages.
surrounding
the
support
are
Ahmedabad
export-oriented
into the upscale,
divided
in
industry
The ready-made ga rment
of 25
75 workers working for him ( SEWA
Report on Garment Wrkers,
1986.).
Production Areas and Products
Pr-oduction of
areas of
the city,
garments
is
spread
over many
and each area specializes in
28
a
certain
type
of
garment.
produces Chaniya
and Takiya
produces
only
ready-made
and
Sarangpur
in
Because of
communal
Khol
in
Shahpur
Revadi
Chaniya,
Chaddi
covers);
and
and Chindi
(
the
western
states
is
spread
are divided into
of India).
type of work it
scattered
ir,
know the
rates,
problems of
many areas
its
interest
workers in
Production
lot
workers
therefore,
products,
skills,
other areas.
throughout
in
the
are also
they do not
conditions,
and
Because these
various locations
dissimilar jobs, 5EWA has had to focus
organizing
in
The
a ind,
( hand-
garment production
are as and varies a
involves.
workers are scattered
and possess
Thus,
Chipa
( people from the
and Marvadi
over many
Darivapur
fans and rags).
many groups such as Hindu and Muslim,
community),
the
and diverse religious and
the workers
printer
area.
the
Chaniya;
strong
traditions,
Bazaar
(hand bags),
frocks;
(mattress
Khol
india's
the
ready-made
area deals
deals
Sindhi
Theli
covers);
produces
(shorts)
area
(long skirts),
(pillow
Bazaar
The
efforts
on
defining
collective bargaining.
Process
a
shared
at
ills
the type and size of
to
according
are mostly men,
who
cutters,
fees,
retainer
various
products,
it
garments
are
so,
the
or
to the workers or the factory inspectors.
it
thei r
persons employed,
their
which
wages,
women
and a
half
time
businessmen
get paid.
places
stitching,
of
or
They
and
a day.
bus
fare
use
their
production,.
pay for
the
and child
many as two
as
in
employers,
and
attending to
cleaning,
stitch
workers may
dozen garments
have to spend
employment,
Besides
the domestic duties af cooking,
rearing,
of
at piece-rate on a
paid
are
basis.
fortnightly
weekly or
of
duration
Thus,
the number
document
to
difficult
very
is
they
record book;
a
to themselves and never show
record book
keep the
into
it
next day
on the
businessmen make an entry in
The
up the cut
stitch
and
the finished
When
the shop
to
returned
200 ruipees as
to pick
home,
back
it
take
atany
in
the piece-rates.
women workers come to the shop
cloth,
The
the cloth
cut
addition to
in
fabric.
the
are pnaid
and
patterns,
designs and
sorted out
is
This cloth
rate.
a bulk
t he t ext i 1 e
f r om
rupees
thousand
50
worth about
of cloth
full
a lorry
bring
businessmen
The
These workers
to
go
to the
and wait long hours to
own
use their
electricity
crowded
homes as
own machines
bills
For
of the
their
resignation
and
fatalism
-for
devel oped
have
homeworker s
these
emupl oyer s,
provided
dependency on their
and political
economic,
social,
and
Having suffered fromh generations of
wages.
t he
0i 1
own
are
None of these materials
threads.
in
use
and
mach.ies
stitchiCng
working
their
towards
condi tions.
Piece-Rates
on
the
margin
of
profit
make
on
their
employers
unannounced
workers who have been in
Their
or two.
have
some
are
homeworkers,
in
the
the
among
least
homewor k er s
.
The
all
around 60%
decade or
the
husb ands of
such
as
them
provide
sometimes
the last
but often they
sk-i 3. s
piece-rate workers
trade for
suf-fer from
a generati on
the trade for
The majority.
work.
alternative
and
30% are own-account
sewi ng-rel ated
which
embroidery,
but
wages,
incomes are moderate,
other
ately
for a subcontractor
Around
lay-offs.
Approx i
products.
higher
relatively
are paid
and
businessmen
the
the homeworkers work
10% o-f
paid are dependent
homeworkers are
The rates
of the
who have been
two,
three
and earn
types
of
these homewor ker s
or
abor
casual.
are mostly emp'loyed in
some other
of Petty trading or driving auto-rickshaws
odd job
seasonabl y or
ar e
they
Fr e ruent Iy
on Streets.
sometimes cofripletely unemployed.
dozen,
arcordinq
dozen
of
are made at the rate of
I
are made at the rate of 6
and skirts
to 10 hours of hard
of 8
spite
In
dozen for
per
rupees
5
and
Chaddi s
larger frocks.
rupee a dozen,
and the
the items
to the size of
Frocks are stitched at the rate
labor involved.
3 r-upees per
seven rupees per
to
three
from
vary
Rates
to 7
rupes.
work,
the workers do not earn more than 12 rupees a
peak season.
day in
to 120 rupees a month,
than
These
unorganized
piece-rate
definition
s,
leaves their
for.
such as
workers
makes
exclusion
di sm.i ssal
sector,
of
many
of
those
work
the
accidents
minimum wages
half the state
of 240 rupees per month..
lower
out these wages
average
unemployment
the seasonal
the low seasons and
Moreover,
workers in
vendors.
Factory
the
workers vulnerable
and
health
welfare and social
the
Furthermore.
in
included
not
are
in
other
also
are
rates
Act;
this
to
unfair
hazards,
security
the
and
tnprovided
ISSUES OF GARMENT WORKERS
rajor issues
Historically, there have been six:
of
First,
piece
their
compari son to
of
garment industry.
in
have
rates
space used for production,
revised,
and the
depreciation of
of the
industry,
special occasions like
anniversary,
or when there
the demand
for garments.
revision of piece-rates
never initiated
records
nor
been counted in
have occasionally been
The rates
before SEWA intervened
formal
of
Even the costs of the threads and
are major fluctuations in
Labor had
rental
time,
either on bazaar's
the celebration
included the
waiting
oil used for production have never
the piece-rates.
low in
as wel I as to the
Wages have not
transportation,
sewing machines.
very
been
the other workers,
minimum wages.
state's
cost
homeworkers
to
concern
in
1977.
There have been no
of raises and wage revisions in
the
laws
and
have
there
regulations for such purpose.
been
any
the
Second,
Sometimes it
irregular.
but most
is
on the
made
same day,
fifteen
is twelve to
time it
of the
wages has been very
of
payment
days
Since
atter the delivery of the finished garments.
the workers can not read and write,
The ex isting Factior ies Ac t
knowledge.
Wages Act haven't provided
homeworkers
are
ther e
without their
changed
and
ated
mani pt
be
of t en
the records can
not
and
are
no
st at e
possible to enforce,
and
noti ce.
In
words,
depend en t
on
goodwill.
The
thei r
exploit
production in
and plan their
and have been
busi nessmen
or
emp1 oyer! s
employers
errat ic,
the warkers have not had
their future
sense of
any definite
r egul at or y
done at short
to be
often required
other
been
has
garment-work
seasonal,
or
agenci es
all
traders
the lean season,
when
ample.
collaborate to see that they do not
have their garments stitched at
causing a
-
this situation,
the rates are low and the supply of labor is
Often,
as
purpose.
institutions for this
Third,
protection of
the
for
and Minimum
the same time.
demand for labor that may pull wages up.
There have been no state policies on employment and
labor that
empiloyer s by
can lessen workers'
providing
dependency on their
al ternat i ve
employment or
protecti
on.
garment-work
Fourth,
with old machines without
so
day,
a
they have to do
electric
motors.
These
garments produced
of
less.
are
earned
these homewor kers are women,
women's work.
Indian
traditional
the double load of
bear
homeworkers
these
Thus,
done
wages
the
bec ause
Furthermore,
been tedious,
the number
conditions reduce
in
has
domestic duties and garment-work.
Fifth
to
1
mouth'
garment
these
,
provision of work
and daily
they can
it
very difficult
is
'from
Driven
for
hand
essential.
or reliable
out without
not hold
more than a couple of days.
money
is
amassed savings
Because they have not
incomes,
live
workers
work for
by the need for
them riot to take up
the jobs of
other victimized workers.
alternative
employment,
Without any
or access
access to credit
to supplies of raw materials and market outlets,
is
for homeworkers to organize or Dbe
very difficult
organiized
for
workers
better working conditions.
the
Si-th.
are
it
very
badly veriti I ated,
working
poor.
conditions
Their
and crowded
small,
of
Garment
dimly lit,
houses overflow with
with poor
coupled
hardships,
garments.
firni shed
and
al s
mP
ateri
raw
make anemlia
nutritinn,
very common among these workers.
and TB
and swollen legs are common
diseases
treatment,
i
51nce
issued by
from public
There
are no
for homeworkers'
to pay
employers
requiiring
laws
long
where
workers.
industrial
for
faciliies
of
hositals
to benefit
with which
employers
their
complaints
cards
identi ty
do not have
homneworkers
medi c al
gio for
can
homewor k ers
welfare
no
are
There
hours.
Abdominal
machines for
sewi ng
p addl e
who
homewor k er s
These
health care.
some
1978
of
ill
or
employer
rupees.
had
leave
agreed to
However,
that they were
On the third
town.
raise
he
the
did
piece-rate
not
for
asking outright
risk
made exc:uses
but
higher wages,
in
to return
a miiddle-size employer
could not
They
three days.
for
workers decided not
these
garments of
the finished
c Ircumst ances
above
under
Hard-pr essed
day,
the
by 0.110
keep his word for
l ong.
The sense
compelled
some
of
of
be:ing
the
cheated
and e>asperated
homeworkers
to ao to the
teacher
for some assistance,
to SEWA and ask
sol ici
ted
directed
which
the
SEWA
something to
improve
themselves. .
in
the
they took towards
by
in
day
first
her
workers
Bhadra area,
situation
their
Recalling
one worker
building,
office
to go
SEWA which
The
major step
first
the
was
not
participation.
their
to
class.
was the workers who decided
it
Significantly,
sewio
local.
SEWA's
of
and for
the
SEWA
reports:
We went to the building, it was full of
all
kinds, some were like
of
women
and many were workers like
college girls
freely talked with each
They all
us.
of questions
lot
other and asked us a
about our work.
THE STRUGGLE
The
asked to
their
workers
hold
in
enc:ouraged
approached
initially
of
group meeting
the home of
the
and work-related
women to
one
of
talk
at
the
the
*~ .1
meeting,
workers.
length
Three
problems.
SEWA were
women workers
the
Around 50 women came to
area.
was held
a
that
things
about their
in
which
SEWA
work
emerged from
the
of
sense
garment
SEWA organizers gained a fair
First,
the discussion..
S:itLlatiOn
the workers realized that,
Second,
industry.
common
workers
one
saw
also as
but
relatives,
not
another
Third,
difficulties.
and
handicaps
only
In
workers.
neighbors
as
the
or
once
other words.
SEWA helped
contact SEWA,
these workers took a step to
they all
work,
their
despite individual variations in
shared
and the
homeworkers
the
of
them come out of their fatalism and resignation as these
workers became visible to SEWA and its
importantly, the
workers saw for themselves that though
and
areas
under
bargain
common
their
employers,
many
interest was to collectively
scattered over
and were
they did not have similar jobs
many
Most
organizers.
higher wages
for
and better working conditions with the state.
Some 10
such meetings were carried out in
over a period of two to
the
attract
were low key,
SEWA
meetings
ladies
held in
organizers
to
clubs
be
to
like
tell
In
order
the employers,
of
not to
the meetings
some temple or community hall,
As Pallavi,
the end.
entertainment at
had some
the
attention
three months.
the area
said,
the
"
other
these
themselves."
38
employers
The
and
one of
took my
meetings held by the
women
how
to
improve
The hombeworkers discussed how they were u-nprotected
by the existing
industrial
labor
and
which provides
they became aware that the Factories Act:,
for protection if
an
served
the
workers
in
workers
order
to
records
homeworkers
also
saw
departments
of
the
state
had
The
and employment
labor
the
that
of their
i.ntervention.
state
avoid
than 20
more
of encouraging
purpose
(underreport)
falsify
to
employers
has
establishment
contrary
For example,
laws.
information
no
or
understanding about their problems.
Soon the employers came to know of the real purpose
of the
meetings.
by isolating the
They started victimizing the workers
weakest
and
providing them enough work.
the
neediest
and not
The employers would make an
the industry,
slump -in
excuse that there was a general
or that the workers should come back again the next day.
the
the employers
al though
Thus,
workers
getting
did not
organized,
come out against
they provided a subtle
but effective demonstration of who was in
control of the
situation.
The workers
with little
or no work became worried
about their fates and decided to
meetings.
all
no longer
Like almost all the homeworkers,
attend SEWA
they earned
their income from this direct employment and
had no
of
source
other
state
backing for
there was no legal
or gan azer
that time,
at
intervention.
SEWA
secretaries
said,
"
Muslims,
They contributed
consumption of food.
rates of
high
of
these
among
a
Based upon
in
cut
direct
SEWA's
alternative
To store
their
action by
workers to
work and keep them going.
the cloth
bought from the textile
SEWA rented a small warehouse next
to the
This place was a part of the workers'
state
Any
experience from
these victimized
providing raw materials to
to find
homeworkers.
the group decided to take direct
other cases,
run by the
earnings or
has been very common
means
income
their
give them
back
relatively
their
family's
Because
it
female-headed households
in
was an
who
How coul d we sit
30% of their
breadwinners.
sole
divorce among
cut
its
as
these workers,
and only source of employment.
at least a significant
were
The
workers had Iost
The
starvino?"
regular
or factory.
mill
to these workers to get organized while they
and preach
were
the
one of
Renana,
or
protect
to
nothing
do
could
as rents or capital
a textile
in
employment
alternative
such
income,
labor
source of
raw material
workers to
the warehouse
department.
mills,
sewing class.
education library,
The alternative
supplied by SEWA attracted other
or
40
supply
depot,
asking for
There was no way of separating the needy from the
work.
However,
employers'
harassments
of employers over the workers since
weakened the control
ones could still
'punished'
the
find
go to the SEWA store
and
one hand,
SEWA
or
Thus,
work.
alternate
This strategy
employment.
alternative
for providing
were preferred
neediest
and the
the
struggled for higher wages and better conditions,
and training to the homewrkers.
credit,
they could not afford
lay off certain workers,in effect,
the
of
rejection
which
Some workers
did
also
left
failing health;
of
unfair
employers
bec ause
give
themn
or
cases,
In
by the
employers
market price, or
by the
with record--eeping
not
its
ex-treme
worker.
finished garments
dissatisfaction
of
employers,
age and
their
formed
the establishment
the workers had to often pay
for which
because
their
left
homeworkers
the
of
dismissal
of
closure
the
either
to
limited
for
for leaving an employer were
reasons
the
cooperative,
SEWA
before
fact,
In
time.
the
of labor, these
supply
have some wor kers working
least
to at
employers had
them all
reliable
ensure a
To
do so.
to permanently
threaten
did
Though the employers
to
and on
v'e work,
to provide alternati
SEWA tried
hand,
the other
of
victims
the
large,
and
by
neediest.
their
their employers
due wages.
because of old
no pensions were provided.
Now,
to.
Over a
event
the
cooperati ve
economic
existing
SEWA
became
and
mills
textile
the
manager
would
cooperative
situation.
buying
market
in
getting
the right
industry
these
made the
higher
not run a
a
the cooperative.
than
those paid by the
"42
the
Now
in
the
them,
storing
the products.
hus:iness of their
own
about the garment
lot
And the combination
workers and SEWA's managerial
cooperative successful
with the
employers
the
and marketing
they soon came to know
through
dealing
materials,
raw
designs,
workers had
Though the
before,
the
One
sewing and the
in
in
with
compete
as a
as well
cooperative.
the
of
employers.
government departments,
other
the
but to
low wages,
existing
talented
and was
industry,
the:ir
only to
with the
worker who had a good background
garment
of
not
economic
an
their
to
alternative
political
saw that
connivance
as both,
their
homeworkers
through
exploitation
The workers saw this
bought
remember
alternative
an
political
state's
the
these
day when
was
form a
to
organi zers
The SEWA
dent.
as the
this
order
elected
and
cooperative
the
in
presi
y and
secretar
in
Around 20)0) workers
run the depot.
shares
ten-rupees
decided
SEWA
time,
of
period
cooperati ve to
employers
workers had left
depot run by SEWA.
supply
the
join
time,
first
the
for
Their
employers
and
other
were
piece-rates
since
support
the
profit
was
argin
a
also
run
to
idea
good
for
the
credit
on their
thirteen
the workers
of
Some
the
provided
bank
there.
homewrkers with
cooperatives run
cooperative
had
by
SEWA
provided management
of
the
contacts
homeworkers
who
worked
to
the
state' s
Because
the
relations,
leaders of the other
for running a cooperative or being
skills
sel.f-employed.
and
workers
The
access
and working
the SEWA
for
agencies and
institutions, such as public sector corporations
and marketing
agencies,
reasonably priced
arket
and
asked for
help in
opportunities.
action of
banks,
finding
raw materials and access to expanding
The Labor
Department,
the compensation funds for victimized workers,
joint
up
the market
own businesses and take advantage of
and technical
The
own sewing machines to start
buying their
opportunities.
for
space
a
to work could work
other place
cooperative
for
industry
materi al s and the finished goods,
raw
sorting out the materials.
without any
SEWA
garment
provided
cooperative
SEWA's
wareshousi ng
and
as now the
self-employment."
own
Thus
how the
was
helped some of the workers to set
This later
up their
It
said,
cooperative,
the
idea of
workers had a better
operated.
orgarizers,
SEWA
the
one rf
Pallavi,
were shared by the workers.
and profits
low,
trade
union
43T
struggle
SC
used to
found the
and cooperative
novel
a
develiopment
of protect-ing
way
and supportinq
wor ker s.
Very soon the
in
cooperative
market next to the shops of
the
mothers.
Most
industr-y
were young.
but
are
trained
parents
other
stitching and
state
of
know this
type
cl asses
provided
knowledge of
issues.
and
The
for
training
found this
Now
apprenticeship
that
the
time,
they could at
the
it
functional.
some
and some information on women's
also
included
better garment
The trainees
the clients.
very useful.
SEWA cooperative paid higher wages,
the workers could go to
Though they
for
in
girls, training
literacy,
some
neighbors
the homeworkers only
these
For
work.
who are
sadly enough,
But,
since
work,
industries
no cost
is
There
skills.
work,
their
the garment
homeworkers
relatives,
,
design and diversification of
same.
of
children
to train this work force.
has no other choice
with their
in
entrants
new
to provide
They are not from other
young
the
by
the
of
This
infuriated
worked
who
girls
younger
to the
training
employers.
Also. SEWA decided
the most.
the employers
the
own outlet
and competition
direct confrontation
act of
buy its
had to
the
did not
least get
44
employers
get the
their
and
demand the
higher wages this
accounts
with the
i n
emploryer S
other
many
knew
oained
turn
them
made
In
employers.
the regular
as
SEWA:
they worked
they mingled among
and
organizers
chance to
go to
SEWA has a
elected
commissons
workers-
the
their
However,
in
Joining
by
rown,
their
SEWA
class
a
a while they had
the
Labor
Minister
person'
in
SEWA
meet
and
with the government
good liaison
Thus,
-
middle
And once in
the capital
appointed
their
worker'
'employed
status
social
respectable
the
who
on
within
a cooperative of
for
leaders.
members
an
homeworker'
gained
or some such dignitary
This in
income improved
by being
status
the workers
they
circumstances, they would have
!-f a more respectable
case,
and
SEWA,
dependent
breadwinners
women
social
their
instead
this
-fact,
Under normal
families.
lost
sociall.y
these
o-F
status
less
-f
communitv.
their
in
status
social
some
leaders
and
workers
among the
mingled
workers now
area and outside
the
in
people
economically
the
Also, since
dependent on the employers.
colI'ective
and
made them less
turn
in
This
strength.
and
-f work,
terms
in
interest
common
a
feel
them
made
made the
The cooperative
each other
to
related
feel
l es-
felt
also
They
employers.
dependent on their
workers
order.
proper
for
come
45
various
the
on
are
the
in
and
boards and
welfare and benefit
to
contact
its
of
with the
the
pol i tcs
at
levels.
Though SEWA
party
does not
a
political
definite
In
outlook regarding the problems of the workers.
up
comes
SEWA
election,
workers demands and suggests
the workers
Thus,
they
who
candidate
the
each
manifesto of
vote for
members
its
that
think
develop
own
its
w ith
in
participate
directly
have
does
it
politics,
level and at haiher
commui ty
local
supports these
demands.
political
choice
own
their
of the employers' persuasions.
irrespective
Meanwhile the government put a new tax on the cloth
to
afford
of
unemployment
would
This
business.
of
caused
have
One
to ask for
to SEWA
employers came
would force
it
workers.
women
that they could not
government
tax and that
this
pay
the
to
argued
traders
women..
the
that
prove
Immediately,
state
was
called,
and
found
An emergency
they
Minister
and use this
wages.
Karima,
the
one
of
the
of some
to the government
employment
to many poor
one of the SEWA organizers went to
and
capital
taxation on fans.
provided
they
day
them out
a widespread
a photograph
working women so that he could show it
to
employers and the
The
and fans sold to the employers.
all
out
meeting of
situation
garment
worker,
46
the workers
decided to go to the Labor
crucial
during my interview:
more about the new
to demand higher
recalled the event
of my
with
go to
out
been
never
had
Imagine, I
never talked to my elders
area, and
me to
SEWA wanted
a loud voice.
talk
and
capital,
state
the
Gandh-inagar,
to the Labor Minister!
content of
Many group meetings and the work-related
the discussions
demands to
their
had
SEWA organizers
typed
leaders
the
workers'
of
copy
health protection,
.Second,
with
abstraction.
Third,
process
Catien ce
for
results.
impatient
with
state and not
ihe
Commisioner's
employers,
deal
can
the
through
Such acts of
they
been following
have
workers develop
the
Fourth,
even
if
impatience is
their
the delays,
as a reality
than as a mystifying
SEWA,
with
of the
makers
the state
rather
since
the homeworkers get
decision
the
the workers see
they
which
the
face with the political
First,
among
visibility
state.
to submit
only
demand for higher wages,
to
face
leaders has many benefits.
direct
hard work, "
their
and regular employment.
workers
the
putting
about
had
and the
workers
Since the
Minister,
they felt
represent
clearly
the workers to
Labor
the
that
all
"said
helped
they
get
with the
with SEWA.
office
workers,
for a
and
summoned
oon
were-
usnesmen
tripartite
the
47
to
the
meeting,
government
officials,
Labor
with the
on
of
fear
was
of
turn
Minimum Wage Act in
pay more
have to
to their
pay the homeworkers under the
to
provident
state's
the
benefits
care
health
they would
feared
have to
relationship
the
law if
want to
they did riot
Moreover,
established.
automatically
They also
workers.
the bonus
the additional burden of
of l:i vi ng goes
employers
the
and
up,
wages go
up, the
The
the cost of
with
cost
As the
st ate.
which
Act,
workers.
their
linked
is
Gujarat
of the
index
to
minimum wages
provi des certain
Ii ving
Minimum Wage
to the
being subjected
in
and thus
homewor k ers
with these
onsh ip
ati
employee rel
an employer-
establishing
and
admitting
reluctance
their
The main reason for,
reeting..
delay the
to
best
their
tried
and
upset
were very
businessmen
The
ccwmndi tiins,.
working
better
and
rates
higher
contribute
workers or
funds -for the
is
give
of
various acts
and holidays under
the state,
was held.
workers were not
these
In
The major point of
order to
argued that
from
them and
them.
Thus,
It
later
seI'
argument was
of
act-uall y
the
the fact
the finished
to negotiate
difficult,
law
'buy'
homeworkers were traders
was equally difficult
the meeting
that
the employees of the businessmen.
make enforcement
hcmmeworkers
so,
month or
a
after
But eventually,
the
they
raw materials
products back
to
and not employees.
for higher
wages
the
SEWA
have
to
SEWA
empl oyers.
the
of
claims
and
in
to coLkunterbalance the
meeting
the
at
representatives
happy
was
state
The
wages.
pressures
the cost of threads and electricity
of
and inclutsion
representatives had facts and figures and represented an
of collective
underlying threat
homewor k er s.
home
to do their
give a raise of
the SEWA secretary,
said,
a dozen
Renana,
Chaniya.
" That was one more victory of
of
action
joint
of
our strategy
the businessmen agreed to
10 pm,
1.20 rupees
Late
negotiate.
stayed to
but others
around
at
night.
go
to
had
members
domestic chores,
at
the part of
-
SEWA
Many
action on
struggle and
union
cooperative development."
about work
difficult
SEWA
The
membership.
of
areas
residenti.aal
these
separate
take
care
of
and talk to them
problems.
social
and family problems,
to the
health-related
or
people in
other
the organizers remain conscious that:
to make
these workers
see theinselves
that
49
it
0f ten
However,
organizers did realize
the
to
go
would
workers
the organizers refer homeworkers
who
strength by increasing
organizers
work-related
and
to
to gain
step was
The next
it was difficult
is
and
SEWA
i ssues.
they have
as workers.
The
to organize
all
there
and
state
to
the
It
was in the
they did;
them
of
the
with
I
would
go
all
waste
if
and staff of
resources
limited
its
manage
to
very difficult
of
fact
as in
workers,
the
all
have been
reports:
One organizer
SEWA.
to
of SEWA not
would
it
take SEWA seriously.
the employers to
organizing
good threat
a
was
only a
potential
the
since
assertion
possible
interest
in
effor ts
Organiz-ing
that..
was enough
workers
and its
membership
all
of
mass
cruci al
for doing
no need
was
they saw that
fact
In
the unin.
in
homeworkers
the
these
to
women
in
small
to them about their
and talk
meetings
laws,
different
wages,
work,
and how other members of
unionization,
vendors,
vegetable
the
like
SEWA,
on
received a right to sit
organi zed and
rollers
how the Bidi
or
street,
the
funds.
welfare
the
from
benefited
Sometime one of the other members of the
groups would come w-ith me.,
trade
other
could see for
and the home-based workers
like them can
workers
what
themeIsel. ves,
and had done.
Often workers'
around
classes
action,
are
such
the morale
march to
women
40
education classes
come
conducted
are conducted and
together for three days.
before
just
These
collective
some
as a march or a demonstration,
to build up
just
before the
of the
the Labor
meetings were held.
In
workers.
1986,
Commissioner's office,
the
Often
50
speakers
several
are
such
from the
rel
industries.
Once
di ff+icu.t i.es
of
occupationral
There was also
this
meeti ngs.
Once the
group of faithful
and active
fact
come from the
form of
marches
strikes
if
and
prepared
of
conditions
the
the
that
there
garment
workers
workers.
with
the
to
redefine
follow up
the
The demands
and
job security,
working
struggle
the support will
groups of
large
in
support
the
as actual
well
name of
is
still
the
and now a
on to
the concepts of
are for higher
wages,
cards for
identity
on
employer
it.
The
committee is
homework
Minimum Wages
the
demands for
its
tripartite
by including
schedule o-f
on the
and made a report
survey
a
were accepted,
the
as
was
membership
lend their
to
demonstrations
demands
in
were
the workers and submitted
benefits,
making
of
rest
small
need arises.
SEWA
health
that
waiting
members
potential
the
to
realized
SEWA
poli cy
mohi l i zi. ng,
strength.
purpose
more
formed,
educat i on,
show of
and as a
influence,
serve many
these meeting
Thus
factory
the
and improved
workers
:i ncl ud:i rig
f unct i ons,
one
the
the
and heard
came
Comissioner
the city.
in
inspection
the
and
labor,
of emIployment,
departments
ated government
of
garment
Act.
Thus
change the Factori es Act
WORK,
WORKERS,
to
and WORK-SITES.
PART III
FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
parts I and II
Based upon what we have discussed in
stuWdy,
3f th is
I
about
findings
the attitude of
Third,
about
to
how
particular
protect
the
draw conclusions about how
organizations like
towards
make recommendations
and
i mpor tant
organizing
for
strategy
state
will
some of
l i st
I will
the
I
f i rst
SEWA's
Second,
homeworkers.
SEWA.
wi ll
support
and unorganized workers in
to the state
homewrkers
in
general.-
Fi ndings
the
First,
to define their
of-
is
shared
orking
wages,!
collective
strategy for
orgariZ:ing homeworkers has
interest
conditions,
and
welfare so that a
action for these scattered groups
possible.
issues
wrk-related
in
of
workers
arid
groups
ion
occupat
against whom
organizi rg
workers
in
larger
unorgani:ed
or
bargaining
their
enhance
lack of
the next
In
joined
be
further
them to
like
example,
for
homieworkers
other
of
s
organization
identifying
dismissal.
can
groups
these
stage,
the
homogenous groups facirsg
against unfair
protection
legal
interest,
in
is
circumstances,
common exploitative
employer
single
common
them
and somewhat
small
relatively
any
without
they can define their
for
strategy
come from vari ous trade
because homeworkers
Second,
power.
for
higher
wages is
reinterpretation
social
of
access to
increase
is
the
the
of
labor
to
devise
the scope and
regulations,
provide
and change the
resources,
workers,
organizing
that
institutions
state's
for
important
existing
and allocate
security
goal
for extension
limited definitions of work,
state
only
equally
struggle
that
strategies
the
not
It
homeworkers.
the employers
bargaining against
collective
Third,
and
work-sites
in
Policies.
Folurth,
two pronged.
wages and
the
strategy
On the one
better
workirg
for
hand,
organiz ing hontewor-kers is
the
conditions
'-p..)
for higher
struggle
are
carried
out by
the
protect them
workers are organized into cooperatives to
and unemployment through al ternative
from victimi zat ion
and
productivity
their
strengthen
as
wel I
work, as
mobilizinga
On the other hand,
-actions.
collective
for
workers
and
organizing
through
un.on
trade
capacity of setting up their own business
enhance their
or entering
self-employment
through
training,
cred.dit,
and marketing facilities.
three types
leads to
are
Training,
negotiations.
materials,
alternative
individual
and
marches,
provi ding credit,
cooperatives are also direct actions.
action are filing
legal
Examples of direct actions
providing
and
direct action,
deputations,
demonstrations,
homeworkers
organ izing
of actions:
policy action.
and
action,
for
strategy
the
Fifth,
supplying raw
work
through
Examples of legal
court cases
and providing
evidence for expansion of the scope and reinterpretati on
of
the
existing
demands for
industrial
and
labor
committees
tripartite
legal
in
participation
commi ssi ons
and
soiLtions -ound
documented
and
policy
making
during
bodies
Trnovat3v e
boards.
organizing
di scussed
54
good examples
policy
of
Examples
actions.
Often
and statutory bodies
to examine the issues of workers are also
of
laws.
the
thr ough
action
are
like
planning
and
workable
homeworkers are
publications
and
parti ci. ar
seminars so that pol icy-makers in
purpose
increasing
of
and
reports,
helping
the state
policy making.
carried
in
Various
out
to
also useful
homeworkers are
fill
in
and
surveys,
publications
understand the problems of
in
in
additional
homewrkers
statistical
reports that are instrumental
surveys,
an
have
of
visibility
census,
records,
official
influenced.
actions
three
these
Sixth,
favorably
is
general,
opinion in
and public
missing information about
such workers and their work.
Seventh,
by exposing the
interests over
the regulatory
resources of the state
three
counterbalancing
institutions and welfare
above,
organizing homeworkers can be
in
the business
through effective use of
mentioned
actions
of
control
the
strategy
the
made useful
established
all the
for
to the state
of
claims
the
business interests.
COncu
I si ons
Keeping
in
mind
the
significance
of
these
unorgani zed
workers'
development
and political
the
country,
towards the organizations
attitude
m.st change its
state
of the
stability
economic
the
to
buti on
contri
that represent their interests.
mobilize
effectively
around
a common
Thus,
interest.
their potential
of
in
is
asserting
other
workers
should not
the state
for what they are,
organizations
view such
numbers
vast
to
ability
their
from
also
but
membership
sector workers,
not only from their
strength
their
gain
SEWA,
such as
direct
informal
organizat ions of
First,
but for
what
demands through
their
large-scale mobilization of unorganized workers.
homework
Second,
is
not. a backward
and traditional
form of temporary work carried out by workers, till full
of
industrialization
the
economy
is
way of work and production of essential goods
major ity
homeworkers,
to find their
state
state's
is
a
at a very
for the use of low-income people , who are in
low cost.
a
It
achieved.
in
the
country.
By
organizing
these
organizati ons like SEWA are supporting them
own sources of income and employment.
should
burden
view
of
organizations
these
providing
reducing
employment
and
responsibi .l it-y for the wel-f are (-f so many people.
56
The
the
the
of
their
the
fatalism
and resignation
children,
and workers
wages in
sweat shops.
needs
workers'
of
large
of
hours
womnen,
at
encouraging
by
only
addressing
low
address these
Such organizations
not
in
numbers
long
for
toiling
their
by providing examples
but also
talents
entrepreneurial
SEWA
such as
played by organizations
role
the
should view positively
state
The
employers.
on
dependency
political
even
and
economic,
social,
from generati ons
workers su-ffer
unorganized
Third,
of economic success.
Fourth,
state
would be a
it
believe that
officials
chaos if the rules and regulations applied in the formal
sector are
However,
the
also
other
trade
workers should
break
experience of the state
very limited
this
in
working
by the
state
unions
be seen
new grounds in
unorganized workers.
the
to
applied
search
of
and
with inorganized
-as a challenge to
successful
of
efforts
organizing homeworkers.
R ec o mmend at i on s
The state
should make
57
an effort
to
curbn at
least
the worst of
such
regulations
as very -low wages,
sweatshop drudgerY.
ect iv e
coll
of
lack
and
sec urity,
s oci al
0f
lack
and we I-are
labor
its
f
falings
the
bargaining power of workers.
workers,
their own for effective representation
organizations of
in
autonomy
these
of
the
available
even to
are
organizations
and
water,
and electricity
should
these
cooperatives.
The
programs
training
that
cooperatives
are
useful
and
be
state
in
managerial
to
homeworkers
should
increase productivity.
58
space.,
storage
provided
to
workers.
the
of
and
union
trade
their
as
such
these
that
see
development
infrastructure,
of
nor even
workers.
out
carry
cooperative
members of
not possible,
is
should
able to
over-
activities.
not
are
unprotected
state
avoid
and support shotuld be
who
it
as
the
Third,
Provision
of
organize all
to
struggle
overlap
the workers
organizations,
required.
to
protection
state's
However,
also encourage
must
organizations
and
institutionalization
these
state
The
policies.
state
they form democratic
see that
state must
the
and support unorganized
order to protect
in
First,
to support
also
teChnFica.1
form
their
provide
skills
own
Fourth, the state
of
laws
labor
the
by
the
but
factories
not only
of
where
areas
the
also
home-based
sub-contracting of
done through
prodLuction is
the existing labor and
inspection
through
regulations
industrial
can be
This
workers.
enforcing
effectively
working
wages,
minimum
to
related
conditions, and welfare of
done
stop outright evasion
must, try to
work and
under reporting of records,
protection
Fi f th
laws must
and industrial
and
care,
health
the
Sixth,
homewrkers
state
of
and
and
access to
make
should
it
The
for
easier
should
to
obtain
expandinog
reasonably
market
59
own
their
agencies
state
also
the
es by
opportuniti
the purchase of
for
authori]ties,
marketing
homeworkers
hazards.
such as public sector corporations,
institutions,
and
compensation,
accident
production.
are provident
Examples
take advantage of market
to
providing them with credit
tools
to the unemployed
be extended
from occupational
protection
benefits of existing labor
homeworkers.
victimized
funds,
and
and
banks,
help
the
priced raw materials
opportuni ties.
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