More areas, more workers and more signature!

21.4.2010
Day 4 – Nerkundram

Jakman Exports Private Limited is located on the main highway, about 2 kms from Chennai. The company employs more than 400 workers, mostly women from the areas around the factory and nearby areas.  GAFWU has been meeting workers in Nerkundrum and in Thirverkadu, an ancient temple town for over three months. Workers complained that they were required to work compulsory over time for 3 hours everyday and on Sundays but are paid only a single wage, instead of the legally required double wage. Law requires a mandatory weekly day off, however, at Jakman workers were not given the compensatory day off.

Union activists and local leaders assembled outside the gate at about 7pm. Penn Thozhilalargal Sangam Ambattur District Secretary, Santhanamari and Vasantha, met workers after work, they stopped workers, and talked to them, gave the pamphlets, discussed the problems, with the help of some local activists and union members, they collected signatures for the minimum wage campaign.

22.4.2010
Day 5 – Ambattur Industrial Estate

Ambattur Industrial Estate has a traditionally been one of the centres of garment manufacturing in Chennai. Several thousand workers travel into Ambattur everyday to work in garment units; some walk to work, others cycle, however, most travel by company provided transport or suburban trains and public transport.. Penn Thozhilalargal Sangam’s has a big strength and out reach in Ambattur. So we felt that it was necessary to re-visit the area. This time activists met women workers from large factories like Bombay Rayon, Ambattur Clothing Limited and Leela Scottish. Most workers agreed that they needs a wage revision. About a hundred workers signed the memorandum at each company, however most workers were hesitant lest they be chided at or victimised at work.

23.4.2010
Day 6- Madras Export Processing Zone , Tambaram

MEPZ located in Tambaram, was established in 1984 with the “objective of promoting foreign direct investment, enhancing foreign exchange earnings”. It was converted to a SEZ in 2003 and houses 117 factories including several garment and leather accessories units as well as IT companies. Some of the large factories inside MEPZ include Celebrity Fashions Limited, Gokuldas, Pearl Global, etc. All of these factories produce for big brands like GAp, Levis, Victoria’s Secret, Timberland etc. GAFWU already has an active membership in Celebrity Fashions Limited, where the union has been fighting against victimization of leaders.

Activists stood in groups near the local railway station and the bus stand where pamphlets were distributed. While most of Celebrity’s workers travel by company bus to villages almost 20kms from MEPZ, the few who take public transport were too afraid to interact with the activists as the management has created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. Nevertheless, almost a 100 pamphlets were distributed and about 80 signatures were collected.

24.4.2010
Day 7- Sennerkuppam, Poonamallee

Celebrity Fashions Limited and a leading leather accessories manufacturing company called Rabia Leather Exports Limited are located in Seneerkuppam. This area is about 20 kms from Chennai in the neighbouring Thiruvallur District. Both these factories employ roughly more that 800 workers who are bussed from various parts of the city. GAFWU activists Uma, Kasturi and Gauri spoke with workers from the locality about the petition and 120 workers here signed in support.

25.7.2010
Day 8 – Ambedkar Nagar, Guindy

Ambedkar Nagar is a large slum community where most women work as domestic labour and house keeping workers in surrounding IT companies. Many of the young women also work in garment factories like Roverco Apparels, Keerthi shoes, Rabia Leather as well as other smaller companies in nearby Guindy industrial estate.

Even on Sunday it was difficult to meet workers. Many workers were not at home; the reasons varied, some were doing overtime at the factories, and others were away to attend family functions or other religious ceremonies. GAFWU has many members in Ambedkar Nagar, and they are actively organising for better working conditions in their factories. In particular, Rani, a tailor from Roverco and Saraswathi, Joint Secretary of GAFWU and a tailor in Tanstyle Leather Products Limited have been leading the membership drive in the area. They have also taken charge of the signature campaign and on the 25th; they got 30 women from their area to sign the petition.

Penn Thozhilalargal Sangam
8/2 Dharmaraja Koil Street
Kilpauk, Chennai 600 010
Tel: 91-44-26478386
Mobile: 9962500169

Pictures courtesy of PTS – Factory workers signing petition