Rural Women Workers’ Speak Out brought women workers from garment factories, shoe manufacturing units and the agricultural sector on 12.07.2024 in Chennai.
They narrated the problems faced at the workplaces – low wages, no adequate resting time, social security issues, sexual harassment at workplace, inadequate maternity leave, gender-based wage disparity, caste-based discrimination etc.
A trade unionist explained about rape and murder occurred within the factory and the role of the union to seek justice, get compensation for the family and punishment for the perpetrator. There was a sharing on incidents where hormonal tablets were given to young girls to postpone their menstrual cycle so that the productivity of the factories would not get affected. There was sharing about workers who were made to fix Mirena IUDs.
Workers explained about different forms of sexual harassment and there was a discussion on using the POSH Act of 2013 effectively. Workers explained about not having adequate lunch hour and rest hours. Women shared about caste discrimination prevalent in buses provided by the companies where Dalit workers are not allowed to sit on par with workers from other communities. There was a discussion on minimum wages and absence of salary increments. Workers shared about gender wage disparities. Women workers are not allowed to form unions.
After discussion it was decided to work towards social security, living wages and other issues of women workers’ rights and to carry out advocacy with the state. It was proposed to form “Women Workers Front” to consolidate women workers from different sectors as a movement to work towards women workers’ Rights.
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