by: Worst Forms of Child Labor Occur in India’s Garment Industry, Says Report
BEHIND THE SEAMS The reality, however, is far less rosy. Examples of labor-rights violations include blank or nonexistent contracts, long hours (72 hours per week is the average), forced overtime without compensation, dismal wages, restricted movement, constant monitoring, verbal abuse, and precarious work conditions without protective gear. Although their wages, which generally start at 60 rupees ($1.30) per day, are docked to save up for the lump-sum payment, many workers never make it to the three-year mark, according to SOMO. “Many fall sick due to the unhealthy and unsafe working conditions, poor food, and general lack of hygiene,” states the report. “Sometimes, workers are fired just before the end of the period, under the pretext of some feeble excuse.”
POWER OF THE COLLECTIVE It is perhaps the report’s final point that is the most poignant. SOMO and ICN urge all brands and retailers involved in the industry to join forces and work together, rather than separately. At press time, nine retailers, including H&M, ASOS, C&A, Tesco, and Primark, have signed a statement denouncing the Sumangali scheme and other labor-rights abuses. Now let’s see who else steps up to the plate.
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