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August 2006

by James Cross / August 14th 2006

Wolf’s clothing: India’s capitalists demand 12-hour working day and repression of trade unions

Owners of India’s huge textile and garment industry, in alliance with the Ministry of Textiles, have unveiled a bold plan to ‘cash in on the free trade in textiles and clothing’: increase the exploitation of workers, ban strikes and restrict trade union activity. But workers’ organisations are fighting back.

The capitalists, supported by the ministry, made their proposals at a three-way meeting with the Indian government and trade unions on 25^th July.  An article in The Hindu Business Line, calling on the government to “get its act together” and give full agreement to the employers’ demands, reported enthusiastically on the proposed reforms:

“…the garment sector could be freed from the professional unionists. It suggested that the office-bearership of the union be restricted to working employees and the notice of strike be authorised by two-third of all workmen, probably through secret ballot…

“As spontaneous strikes cause supply disruption and affect the credibility of the supplier, the Textile Ministry feels that exporting activity might be treated as public utility services for the purpose of industrial disputes. This would mean that the labour in exporting units should give a longer notice period before a strike and cannot indulge in spontaneous strikes. The Ministry is also backing the industry's case to amend the Factories Act, 1948, permitting raising the weekly working hours from 48 to 60 and the daily working hours from 8 to 12 with a suggestion for suitably compensating the workers during the extra working hours…

“Besides, it wanted seasonal employment so that manufacturers could vary workers according to the demand. It sought contract labour in the textile sector, especially [the] apparel sub-sector...”

“…the Textile Ministry is inclined to according some flexibility to textile exporting units, provided they assure a minimum of 100 days employment in a year.”

The Ministry of Labour, however, was more cautious, pointing out that India is a signatory to International Labour Organisation conventions.  No consensus was reached at the meeting.

Textile workers in Gujurat, India

The Indian textile industry contributes approximately 14 per cent of the country’s industrial production. It employs 35 million workers directly in textiles and a further 50 million in allied activities.

The National Convention of Workers, a trade union co-ordinating body, held a rally in the capital on the day of the meeting in opposition to the proposals of the capitalists and the Textile Ministry.

Trade unions point out that existing labour protection laws are already often flouted by employers, and have stated that the proposals would usher in “the law of the jungle.”

Further demonstrations were held on 10^th August, which the unions designated ‘Anti-Repression Day’ to highlight the repressive anti-union measures taken and proposed by the government and employers, the widespread violation of labour laws, and anti-worker judgements issued by the Indian courts including the supreme court. A nation-wide general strike is planned for 14^th December 2006.

Sources:

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/08/02/stories/2006080201001000.htm

http://pd.cpim.org/2006/0806/08062006_citu%20wc.htm