International garment brands not transparent about labour exploitation by their Indian suppliers: report

100,000 young children and teenage girls are victims of 'bonded labour' in Tamil Nadu; dalit girls worse off

An international organisation working for welfare of workers has drawn attention to the hazardous and exploitative working conditions of young girls working for the garment sector in Tamil Nadu.

An estimated 100,000 children and teenage girls are working in extremely oppressive conditions in the spinning mills and garment factories in Tamil Nadu, according to a report released by FNV Mondiaal (international department of Dutch trade union confederation) and the India Committee of the Netherlands. Most of the girls belong to dalit communities and live in hostels, with little freedom of movement. They are underpaid, made to work for long hours in hazardous and unhealthy conditions. They are victims of "bonded labour" or "modern slavery", says the report.

However, international companies importing garments from this southern state of India refuse to be transparent about bonded labour engaged by their suppliers.

A press released based on the report, Small Steps, Big Challenges –Update (pdf), on (tackling) exploitation of girls and young women in the garment supply chain of south India, was issued on April 4.

The report discusses the current situation in Tamil Nadu, the limited improvements after previous reports and the responses of 21 Dutch and international garment brands on the question of what they do to combat the abuses. It also discusses the activities of various joint initiatives by companies and other organisations.

Labour rights violations in Tamil Nadu

A 2013 survey done by SAVE, an Indian non-governmental organisation, reveals that the total workforce of the 1,574 spinning mills in Tamil Nadu consists of about 224,000 women workers. An estimated 80 per cent of them are under 18, and 14-20 per cent is under 14. They are often subject to forced overtime, underpayment and hazardous and unhealthy working conditions.

Almost 160,000 of the women worjers stay in hostels. Their freedom of movement is restricted. Often they only leave the hostel once a month for shopping and rarely visit their families. Trade unions are completely absent.

Around half of the total women workers toil under highly exploitative schemes such as Sumangali. In Sumangali Scheme, young unmarried women work in textile mills to save money for their dowry. In reality, schemes like Sumangali are a form of bonded labour, since wages are withheld and only paid after workers complete a three to five year contract period.

Another exploitative practice is keeping the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) in employers' accounts. EPF is by law a social security fund. Employers are supposed to transfer 12 per cent of the employee's salary to this fund and add the same amount as employers’ contribution. This money has to be transferred to the concerned government office. Instead of transferring the money, there are employers in the textile and garment sector who keep the money in their own account and only transfer it when a worker finishes her 3-5 year contract. A worker who leaves before finishing the contract period loses the PF money she is legally entitled to.

No supply chain transparency

Heavy work, taunt, for dalit girls

FNV Mondiaal and the ICN recommendations

‘Audit methodology' should be improved to detect bonded labour, discrimination and sexual harassment through offsite workers’ interviews with workers and their unions, to take additional interventions.

Training for workers and management and a credible grievance mechanism are necessary.

Companies need to make public their suppliers, also further down the chain. This also applies to audit findings, plans for improvement and results achieved.

CSR initiatives of companies and other stakeholder should take the lead in facilitating further supply chain transparency in the garment sector.

Meaningful engagement of local civil society organizations in the monitoring of labour conditions and the action plans is crucial for.

Meaningful engagement of local civil society organizations in the monitoring of labour conditions and the action plans is crucial for improving the situation.

Some improvements

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