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

Child and adult labour in the garment export industry of Tirupur
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On child labour: Child labour is a social compulsion. The managers prefer children for
certain jobs, and poverty of the parents causes them to send their children to work. The income of
the children is very much needed for the survival of their families. However, the hosiery industry
is not declared 'hazardous', and working in the hosiery units is much less dangerous than working
in the match industry. Child labour should therefore be regulated in the hosiery industry instead of
abolished. The AITUC estimates the number of children working in the hosiery industry at
30,000. The children mainly work as helpers.
On improving the working conditions of children and educating child labour: In its actions
to improve the working conditions of children in Tirupur the AITUC demands minimum
wages for the children. AITUC wants to start education camps in collaboration with the
employers. The children would get 2 to 4 hours of education after working hours. Nothing sofar,
has been enforced. Also, no education centres have been set up in Tirupur by the Government nor
by employers, though both had promised to do so. Nothing has been implemented. AITUC also
wants medical compensation for the working children. The AITUC is in favour of regulating
child labour because they do not find the work dangerous to the children's health.
On labour in general: Out of the whole hosiery workforce 15,000 workers are unionized.
Only 5,000 (of which 1800 are women) are member of AITUC. In the total workforce 60% are
men and 40% are women. Less than 1,000 workers get ESI and PF. There is no enforcement of
the law.
On improving of labour conditions: The AITUC is organizing its members to fight for
their legal rights. They organize seminars and spread pamphlets. Also AITUC mobilized its members
through strikes while opposing the New Economic Policy as it is, according to AITUC, antilabour
and anti-nation. AITUC says that more unemployment is the consequence of this policy
and the society will be ruled by multinationals in the sense of power and financial control.
Concluding AITUC's strategy to 'humanize' and educate child labour, no constructive schemes
have been implemented up to date. AITUC is waiting for the Government and employers to start
their promised education centres for child labourers in the hosiery industry in Tirupur.
Concerning the demand for a minimum wage for child labourers one can question the compliance
with this demand in future, if one takes into account the absence of implementation of the
(labour)laws as the result of an inadequate enforcement machinery. The labour unions already
have problems with organizing the workers in the formal sector and improving their working conditions
and standards. How will they accomplish that for the informal sector and, even less likely,
how will they change the situation of the working children for the better?
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4.6 Declarations to end child labour by the hosiery industry in Tirupur
Two declarations to end child labour have been made by the industry; the first is made by the
Tirupur Export Association (TEA) and the second one by the South Indian Hosiery Manufacturers
Association (SIMHA).
(i) Tirupur Export Association (TEA)