Ankaji Bhai Gangar, a 49-year-old subsistence farmer, stood in line in this remote village until, for the first time in his life, he squinted into the soft glow of a computer screen. His name, year of birth and address were recorded. A worker guided Mr. Gangar’s rough fingers to the glowing green surface of a scanner to record his fingerprints. He peered into an iris scanner shaped like binoculars that...
More »SEARCH RESULT
After losing male workers to migration & NREGS, carpet industry eyes women by Prashant Pandey
-The Indian Express Having lost around 50 per cent male weavers to migration and schemes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the carpet industry in Bhadohi and surrounding areas now wants women to be trained as weavers. “Women weavers are more likely to stay put at homes, whether they are married or unmarried. So training them would be good investment,” said secretary All-India Carpet Manufacturers Association, Abdul Hazi. The...
More »Slavery or Sumangali? Exploitation of Dalit Girls Exposed
Women’s stepping out of their homes to work is often seen as a symbol of empowerment. But what if girls and young women are first lured to work in factories on the false promise of decent wage, comfortable accommodation and payment of a lump sum amount at the end of 3 years contract, and then made to toil for pittance and their labour rights are violated? A report titled: Captured...
More »Lockdown And After by Arindam Mukherjee
The strike at the Maruti Suzuki plant shows workers’ rights is still a simmering issue Spanner In The... * Labour disputes/strikes down from 250 in ’04-05 to under 100 * Strike by 3,000 Maruti workers found support from 65 unions across companies * Trade unions assert workers’ right to form a union, or to decide which union to join * Ashok Leyland, Hyundai, Honda Motorcycles, GM among those that have...
More »US, brands may stop sourcing if apparel industry fails review by Shramana Ganguly Mehta
Apparel exporters risk losing clients like GAP, Reebok and Nike if India fails to convince the US on Friday that its industry does not employ children. India has been asked to defend itself in the US on May 20 against charges of child labour. Child labour is a sensitive issue for American multinationals who source 30% of their global requirements from India. The brands can stop India sourcing if the country...
More »