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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Case studies of child labourers in the garment export industry of Tirupur
The interviewed children of the case studies work in the hosiery garment industry in Tirupur and
follow education in non-formal education centres which are also in Tirupur.
Case 1: Ramesh
Ramesh is a boy of 13 years of age and is working since one year. He is Hindu and from the
Scheduled Caste. He went to school up to 5th standard and dropped out after that because his
mother wanted him to work. This meant that his school days were over as he was compelled to
work in a 'banyan' (i.e. hosiery) factory near his house in Tirupur. He cannot play around any
more. His work consists of assisting the tailor and all kinds of other small jobs if the tailor has no
work.
The factory, together with many other factories, is located in the slum area 'KVR Nagar' close to
the city of Tirupur. Ramesh is also living in this slum with his family of 5 members. Both his
parents work in the hosiery industry and carry out the process of dyeing. They are illiterate. Both
earn Rs 800 per month. His 15 year old brother has had education up to sixth standard, and works
as a tailor. His brother earns Rs 600 per month. Although the total income of the family is around
Rs 3200, it is not sufficient for daily life expenses. The daily life in Tirupur is very expensive, as
is the rent of the slum huts. Added to these expenses, there is not work throughout the year as the
work depends on the export orders being placed by buyers from other countries. There is not a
regular income throughout the year. Ramesh's father, therefore, has decided to send him to the
hosiery industry for work.
For assisting the tailor he receives Rs 15 per day, approximately Rs 360 per month. The money he
has to give to his father, but every weekend he gets Rs 10 pocket money. That money he spends
on edibles. Sometimes, because he works in the nightshift also, he earns more. The nightshift
ends at 1 a.m. In one week he works 8 shifts (1 shift is 8 hours) which means that there are days
that he works 10 to 12 hours. The supervisor scolds him regularly because he does not work hard
enough. Next to Ramesh, there are 15 more children working in the same hosiery unit; 7 girls and
8 boys. There is enough space to work in the factory, tells Ramesh. They can take water and make
use of a toilet. When he started working in the hosiery factory, Ramesh got a bad typhoid (fever).
Now, Ramesh is going to the non-formal education centre when there is no overtime work. The
school timings are from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Due to overtime work in the factory in the evening, it is
not always possible to attend the lessons. Ramesh wants to go to the regular school again. He
often sees the children going in their uniforms and with their school bags, but he knows that is a
distant dream. In the centre he learns to read and write Tamil and English. Later in life, Ramesh
wants to become a hosiery contractor because then he will earn a lot of money.
Case 2: Rani
Rani Manogren is 10 years of age and just started working one week back. She is a Hindu and
from the Backward Caste, and she is a migrant from Madurai District. Now she lives with her