Women workers in the garment and textile sector in Tamil Nadu, India

RanukaOn a September 2011 field visit to Melappatti wemet with a group of young women and the motherof Ranuka.Ranuka died at a spinning mill in Dindigul, aged18, having worked at the mill for 2 years.She worked on spinning and cone winding.Regular hours were 12 hour shifts, 8am-8pm butoften they worked overtime, sometimes throughthe whole night. Gross wages were 1500Rs amonth, but take-home was only 900Rs.On the day she died, Ranuka worked all day,though unwell. She complained of chest painsthat night, and was given some ointment but shedied.Her family believe her death was the result ofwork-related breathing problems. Suganya,Ranuka’s sister, and 25 other young womenworking at the mill returned to the village afterRanuka’s death.Ranuka’s mother, inMelappatti, Sept 2011