Karnataka Garment Workers to Intensify Protests Demanding Wage Revision

More than 4 lakh garment workers from Karnataka are planning to launch an agitation demanding the revision of minimum wages that the previous Siddharamaiah-led Congress government had proposed. Ahead of the state assembly elections, in February 2018, the then government had issued a draft notification on wage revision. However, in March, the notification was withdrawn. 

The draft notification issued on February 22, 2018 proposed a double minimum wages in the tailoring industry. As per the draft, the unskilled workers in the tailoring industry in Bengaluru were entitled to get Rs 445 per day which was more than the existing salary of Rs 220 a day. The high-skilled workers in Bengaluru were about to receive the highest salary. For them, the proposed wages were Rs 593 a day and the unskilled workers in Taluks and Panchayats were entitled to the minimum salary of Rs 385 a day.

However, the hope of the workers regarding the implementation of the revised wages did not fructify. On March 24, the Labour Department withdrew the draft notification saying the industry management objected to the move as the minimum wages in Karnataka were higher than in other states. However, Prathibha from Garment and Textile Workers’ Union (GATWU) called it a false argument.

“We demand that the government scraps the Labour Department’s order withdrawing the draft notification and implement the revised wages with immediate effect. Anyhow, as a code of conduct prevails here regarding a local body election, we have not got the permission for the agitation till June 9. So, we would be protesting after June 9, raising our various demands,” said Prathibha.

The garment industry itself employs around 4.5 lakh people across the state – mostly women. Out of 4.5 lakh, around 3.5 lakh workers are in Bengaluru. According to GATWU, 90 per cent of the garment workers in Bengaluru are women, of which, a vast majority are the single bread-winners for their families. In addition to this, nearly 10 lakh people are employed in fields related to the garment industry such as printing, dyeing and spinning industries.

Leaders of GATWU maintained that the state governments, since 1979, have ignored the garment industry. As per the labour laws, the wages have to be revised at least once every three years or maximum within five years. But in last 38 years, only four revisions have taken place in lieu of eight, they added.

As the union had pointed out earlier this year, the earlier governments, including Siddharamaiah’s and Yeddyurappa government of 2008-2013 were not very keen about the issues of the garment workers. In 2007, unions had organised vast campaign demanding an increase in the minimum wages. Following the campaign, in March 2007, a draft notification was issued and nothing materialised for two years. Again, in March 2009, the government finalised the notification saying that the minimum wage would be increased to Rs 125 from Rs 100. The particular revision had taken place after eight years from 2001.

The last wage in the garment sector was implemented in 2014, only after the labour unions had secured a positive verdict from the High Court.  Now, all eyes are on the Kumaraswamy government to find out how the government tackles the issue.