Child-and-adult-labour-in-the-export-oriented-garment-and-gem-polishing-industry-of-India

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Bonded child labour in the synthetic gem polishing industry of Trichy
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which started to rule from 1991 onwards, had forgotten about the ideas of the former government
to give support to the local people, give them training, and make them self-employed in the
polishing of synthetic gem stones', local people told me. Thus the government sold the TGP. The
TGP, being a private company today, continues giving training 192 to the people.
The building wherein TGP is located, was heavily protected by security people who all, including
the staff, came from Bombay. The head office is located in Bombay and from there finished gem
stones are exported. The workers or 'trainees', mainly women, were from Tamil Nadu. The training
period lasted three months. At the moment of my visit, there were 190 people in training of
whom 125 were females. TGP imports the raw synthetic gem stones from the US.
The director said that the wages which were paid to the trainees by the TGP were Rs 1,000 per
month at a minimum and above and were set by the piece rate system. The workers did not get
statutory benefits like ESI and PF, bonus, sickness leave, maternity leave etc. Workers were not
allowed to join a labour union. The level of the wage depended on the skills of the artisan and the
quality of the stone. The trainees also produce gem stones for the TGP, which means TGP is their
trainer but also their employer. During the visit, the translator checked the veracity of the level of
the wages and asked a few trainees about their wages; all of them said Rs 300 - Rs 500 per month
(i.e. Rs 10 to Rs 13 per day). Local people said that the training centre was not providing workers
with the promised expertise any longer. Things like marketing skills and certain processes are not
taught to the trainees.
On the inside the training centre was very spacious and clean with enough light, ventilation and
facilities like wash-bins and toilets. Every section where different processes were carried out were
separated from each other by boards. The machines were of the latest technology. Nobody spoke
and everybody's moves were closely watched by supervisors.
7.2.2 Cases of synthetic gem stone manufacturing units
Local informants said that the main problem for workers was their dependence on middlemen
who supply them with raw materials, machines which can be leased 193 , and space. Wages were
paid according to the piece rate system and the majority of the workers were bonded to their
employers. The middlemen either sold the raw materials and/or leased the machines at too high
prices. Employers gave different rates per finished stones even if the stones were of the same kind
192 A local informant said that the main activity of TGP, however, is not training but the selling of gem polishing machines at huge profits to the
local people. The machines which can be bought in the local market cost around Rs 8,000 to Rs 9,000, while the machines which are sold to local
entrepreneurs by TGP, cost around Rs 17,000, which is almost twice that amount. At the moment, the sales of the TGP in Tamil Nadu are not going
so well because the local people came to know about the price differences of the new machines. TGP is now trying to sell the machines in other
states of India. Local social activists said that many NGOs in the area were unknowingly supporting TGP thinking that it was there to help the
workers.
193 The government of Tamil Nadu (1989-1991) sold 100,000 semi-motorized machines, 50% was bought by individuals (mainly women)
through the Self-Employment Scheme of the government and the other 50% was bought by independent exporters/entrepreneurs/manufacturers/enterprises.
The latter people started to lease the machines for Rs 30 per day, and the piece rate of Rs 1 per
finished stone had to be divided in 50 paise for the owner and 50 paise for the worker. The owners who wanted to make more money leased the
machines for two shifts per day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. The workers can do nothing against this practise.