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India's Lockdowns Lead to Child Labour and Significant Mental Stress on Textile Workers
India is currently the world's most affected country by the coronavirus. The high number of cases and deaths and the resulting lockdowns have a serious impact on textile workers. According to FEMNET's partner organizations, these are under a high psychological burden. In addition, they are exposed to an increased risk of infection due to their work and housing situation. The restrictions also lead to the accumulation of child labour.
The situation in India has been escalating ever since April. The number of cases of people suffering from COVID-19 increased until the beginning of May, with peaks of over 400,000 reported cases in just one day. National values have only been falling for a few days, but in the provinces and medium-sized cities the values remain high. A relaxation of the situation is not yet in sight. The media report on people who are waiting in vain for treatment due to lack of medical oxygen, or who have to be treated in cars due to lack of hospital beds. Because the healthcare system is overloaded, significantly more people die than in the previous coronavirus waves. The crematoria are in full operation, in some places they even run out of firewood. Many families also lack the financial means for a funeral, so they buried their bereaved on the banks of the Ganges. Images of corpses floating in the river, which is considered sacred, are also circulating on the Internet. According to official data, 279,000 people in India have died from the virus by mid-May, but the number of unreported deaths is likely to be significantly higher.
Governments in many states of India are responding with curfews and other restrictions on daily life. The fear of illness and the restrictions imposed have a great influence on textile workers. We asked our partner organisations in Bengalore (Karnataka) and Tirupur (Tamil Nadu) what impact the situation has on their work and how they support textile workers during this difficult time.
On the way to the factories and at the workplace, textile workers are exposed to an increased risk of infection
Rukmini of the Garment Labour Union (GLU) and Bhoomika Choudhury of Cividep report that during the lockdown imposed since the beginning of May, the textile factories in Karnataka are initially allowed to work with half a workforce and in compliance with strict hygiene measures. However, the union observed that many factories do not comply with the requirements, keep workers too little distance and do not provide sufficient protective equipment. Hygiene in the toilets and canteens is also inadequate. This is very negligent with regard to the current development in the state: Karnataka is currently one of the regions with the highest number of COVID-19 cases. Since a new tightening of the lockdown, only a few factories have been working, especially on the outskirts of Bangalore.
The general situation has also led to the deterioration of the economic situation of the factories. Some workers report being transferred from management to distant factories or being prevented from being transported to the factories. For example, factory owners want to push for a dismissal in order to avoid legally prescribed compensation payments (‘Forced Resignations, Stealthy Closure’). Many workers are afraid of losing their jobs and are therefore under constant mental stress.
Transport by public transport has been severely restricted. However, many workers rely on these means of transport, so they have to expose themselves to a further risk in the overcrowded vehicles, as distance rules cannot be complied with. Workers who are unable to work due to restrictions, illness or other reasons are in a financially uncertain situation due to the lack of wages. They are often single earners in their families and were previously unable to form reserves due to low wages. The precarious situation of textile workers already has an impact on the care and education of their children. Many can no longer afford to send more than one of their children to school, and meals are sparse – many families eat less healthy food, such as vegetables. Migrants who come from other states to work in the factories do not have access to the food provided by the city, as they are not issued ration cards.
Textile workers are under increased psychological stress
The people of Tirupur are also currently in lockdown. Exporting textile factories were initially allowed to continue working at half capacity so that delivery deadlines can be met. However, due to the still very high mobility of the people, these factories also had to close since 14 May. Mary Viyakula, employee of our partner organisation SAVE, is in direct contact with the workers. She and her organization support women and their families when they get sick and need treatment. They also provide information about vaccinations and help to arrange appointments. According to Viyakula, the workers are also under increased psychological stress. They are afraid of getting infected and do not know where to treat them in case of illness. In addition, there is the fear of the effects of the lockdown and the risk of financial hardship.
Even before the factories closed, many factory owners complained of Tirupur's lack of labor. This is partly due to the fact that about 30% of migrants from neighbouring states such as Karnataka returned to their homes after the announcement of the lockdown. The migrant workers were in a conflict: On the one hand, they fear for their jobs when they return to their hometowns, on the other hand, they are afraid that they will not survive the lockdown without work and wages if it is extended or exacerbated. Previously, the factory owners urged the workers to stay on site so that production could stabilize. In a factory in Tirupur, workers were even held against their will before being liberated by the police.
The lockdown in Tirupur leads to increased child labour
Probably the worst development observed by our partners in Tirupur is the increased incidence of child labour. The lockdown forces families to include their children in work at home, in smaller factories, or on farms and markets. SAVE estimates that about 20,000 children are affected. One of these children is Shanmathi. She is ten years old, goes to sixth grade and has been working for the Shiva Tex factory for a year. By cutting threads on the manufactured goods, it receives about 21 rupees a day, which is about 24 cents. Twelve-year-old Leelambikai and nine-year-old M.D. Masum Raja have also been working for a clothing factory for six and eight months respectively, embroidering small flowers on garments. For a thousand embroidered flowers they get 50 rupees, about 56 cents.
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