Recognising garment workers
View(s):
On Wednesday, 83 employees of a garment factory at Avissawella had tested positive for COVID-19.Ever since the Minuwangoda cluster broke out in Brandix factories earlier this year, the number of victims from factories in the garment sector has been on the rise and along with that, the poor women, who toiled hard for the benefit of others, have also had to face a different kind of stigmatization.
These women who were called ‘juki girls’ or cornered with similar degrading labels are now facing a new kind of stigma as factory girls subjected to the pandemic. Society is not looking kindly at them or even empathising with their plight.
The fact is that as long as they are living in cramped accommodation, many in one room and having limited wash room and toilet facilities, they face the threat of being infected with COVID-19, however much precautions are taken.
Their entire workforce numbering nearly 350,000 in and outside investment zones and directly and indirectly, is much higher than the workforce on tea and rubber plantations managed by plantation companies. While estate workers have a strong political voice through trade unions like the Ceylon Workers’ Congress for instance, the union voice for garment workers doesn’t have that kind of political clout. In the meantime, the umbrella Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF), is a powerful entity but essentially looking after the rights of employers.
As society blamed workers for spreading the virus, JAAF in a strong statement said recently: “We are appalled at the outright attacks directed at the young men and women that form the crux of the apparel industry. The reality of living in a world plagued by a pandemic is that people will be afflicted with the disease. To singlehandedly lay blame at the hands of the people that represent one industry due to the presence of positive cases is reprehensible and a notion that must be rejected from the highest office of government to the individuals that make up society at large. If not for the young women and men who represent the apparel industry, the economy of this island would not be the same, particularly in a COVID-19 world that has dealt killer blows to economies across the planet.”
As I reflected on these thoughts, my attention was drawn to the margosa tree where a conversation was taking place, very much on the same topic.
“Pahu giya avurudda bohoma naraka ekak mage Prema nangita. Eyage garment factoriye wedata prashna godak. Eyage watupatath balapaala thiyenawa (It has been a bad year for my nangi Prema. Her work at the garment factory has been badly affected and their wages have also been affected),” said Kussi Amma Sera.
“Prashne wela thiyenne, me factori wala corona thiyena nisa. Meka kawada evara weida danne ne (The problem is that there are many COVID-19 cases in factories. When will this end),” asked Serapina.
“Mama balaporoththu wenawa 2021 meita wediya honda wasarak wei kiyala ape angalum karmantha wala weda karana kattiyata saha egollange pavul-walataa (I wish 2021 will be a better year for our garment workers and their families),” said Mabel Rasthiyadu.
For the record, apparel exports for the period January to November 2020 fell by 22.38 per cent to US$4 billion from $5 billion in the same period in 2019. Earnings from textiles and garments increased by 5.2 per cent to $5,596 million for the whole of 2019 and a similar increase had been estimated for 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, throwing the entire economy off-gear. The industry has been aiming to accelerate Sri Lanka’s apparel sector to $8 billion by 2022.
Garment exports are the country’s second largest foreign exchange earner after remittances from migrant workers, another sector that is getting a raw deal from the government in terms of repatriation. Many of them are desperate to return home but short of cash due to the high cost imposed by the government on air fares and quarantine facilities, in most cases costing more than half a million rupees per person.
At that moment, the phone rang. It was ‘Nana Mohideen’, the jolly trader from Moneragala. “Hellooo..,” he said in his usual, jovial voice. “Fineee…,” I replied in an equally happy tone. “I was reading about the plight of garment workers particularly women and wondering what kind of society we have to degrade these workers with all kinds of names,” he said.
“Absolutely. Ironically, the two sectors that bring the biggest revenue to the country – migrant workers and garments – face a lot of stigmatization,” I said, adding that one solution would be to provide decent housing to these workers in garment factories.
“That’s a damn good idea,” he said and we then discussed many issues and concerns and the hopes of everyone for 2o21.
As I said earlier, with workers in garment factories living in cramped, overcrowded conditions, the chances of contracting COVID-19 are greater even if they follow mask-wearing or hand-washing since keeping a distance between each other would be a tough call.
With accommodation being an issue, why not offer subsidized housing to workers through the construction of several housing units which could be partly paid for by the employer, the worker and the government? For example, each apartment building can have six floors, each floor with 20 units with two bedrooms, kitchen, living area and toilet with each unit occupied by four persons (two per room). This would total 120 units with four per unit, making it an apartment block for 480 residents. The industry together with the government can work out a funding package having joint custody of these units for which workers are charged a reasonable amount for occupation.
Accommodation is also a problem for the estate population and that is being addressed separately so that they live in decent housing. The same should apply to garment workers who are living in pitiful accommodation. The government needs to work together with the garment industry to come up with a housing solution on the lines suggested here.
As I watch Kussi Amma Sera waltz into the room humming the tune ‘Piti Kotapan None’, with my mug of tea, I remarked: “Santhosha davas (Happy days).”
“Ow Sir, mama hithanawa me avurudda honda avuruddak wei kiyala (Yes Sir, I think this year will be a good year),” she said.
Let’s hope it’s a good year for both the migrant worker and the garment worker, on whom the country depends a lot but who don’t get the recognition they deserve.