Landelijke India Werkgroep

(March 2016)


ILO asks Indian Government to react to statement by ITUC on forced labour in textile industry


ILO’s Committee of Experts on the Application on Conventions and Recommendations has requested the Indian government to react to observations by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Garment Labour Union (GLU) about forced labour and other labour rights violations in the textile industry in Tamil Nadu affecting a large number of young women employed in spinning mills.

ITUC observes: "Children, mostly aged between 15 and 18, but some as young as 12, 13 and 14 are trafficked in spinning mills ... under a labour scheme often referred to as 'Sumangali'. While employers have stopped using this name, the practice of employment schemes that pay out a lump sum after a 3-5 years contractual period has been fulfilled, continues to exist..." "Recruitment is targeted at young, Dalit women and girls..." ITUC also refers to "excessive working hours and overtime, low wages, child labour, no access to grievance mechanisms or redress, unsafe and unhealthy working conditions, with accidents and physical and verbal abuse, including sexual harassment and other forms of violence..." and concludes "that forced labour and trafficking occur on large scale in the South Indian textile industry."

Read the letters by ITUC and GLU and a recent article by ILO senior expert Coen Kompier:




India Committee of the Netherlands - Mar 24, 2016