Research Abstracts on Child Labour Women Labour - Nipccd

Brick Industry
Ghosh, Ruma. (2004).
Brick kiln workers : a study of migration, labour process and employment:. NOIDA :
V.V. Giri National Labour Institute. 56 p.
Key Words : 1. CHILD LABOUR 2.BRICK INDUSTRY 3.BRICK KILN 4.MIGRANT LABOUR.
Abstract : In 2001, a total of 12.5 million children were employed as child labourers. This
study attempted to capture the labour process and employer-employee relationships in the
brick kilns of NOIDA, Gautam Buddha Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh. 76 brick kilns were
observed in the area, there were 56% males and 43.66% females working in the kilns.
Maximum number of migrants came from Uttar Pradesh (62.5%), West Bengal (29.3%),
Chhattisgarh (6.2%), and Rajasthan (1.0%). All the workers (99.8%) lived in kutcha houses
(non permanent structures). All the workers were paid on piece rate basis, like the pathera
(moulder) got Rs 120 per thousand bricks, and the beldar (stacker) got Rs 10 for arranging
1000 bricks in the kiln. It was observed for every 1000 bricks make by pathera, Rs.3 would
be deducted as a commission for the jamadar. It was a pittance as arranging 1000 bricks
was not an easy task for pathera. Out of 400 respondents, 144 moulded 1000 bricks in more
than 14 hours. Monthly income of 11.82% families was above Rs 4000 and 7.81% had income
below Rs 1000 per month. In the sample population there were 532 children in the 0-14
years age group, of whom 411 children (77.25%) were working. About 14.34% children
entered the work force between the ages of 5-8 years. 98.05% of the working population
was illiterate. 8.73% of the children worked between 7-9 hours, 7.54% worked between 10-
12 hours, and 2.91% of the children worked between 13-15 hours. 54.98% children in the age
group 10-11 years contributed 10-20% of the family income; while 39.65% contributed less
than 10% to the family income. A major concern of the brick kiln workers was the wage
rate fixed for their work. Efforts should be made to improve the wages of workers in brick
kilns, and provide them with social security in terms of jobs, health benefits, etc.
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<strong>Research</strong> <strong>Abstracts</strong> on Child Labour, Labour and Women Labour 1998 - 2009