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Sunday, 18 October 2009 |
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Wage increased for the Young workers in Pallapatti
Background of the action
Pallapatti is a rural area in the district of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. Around 2500 workers work in small factories that manufacture soft drinks, pickles, snacks and eatables and Appalam (a kind of eatable like kurpu). 600 workers work in 5 small factories that make appalam.
In this situation, the YCW full-timer started to contact young women workers of this area. He was able to organise 9 young workers who were working in the factory that makes appalam and they came together as YCW group in 2006. They started to review the work and life situation regularly. In a ROLWA meeting on 18th Feb 2009 with the support of the YCW part-timer, the members while reflecting on their wage they discovered the wage they receive is too little to meet their basic needs.
They discussed and discovered the following:·
They work from 8 to 10 hours per day
The daily wage is Rs. 60 to Rs. 70 depending on the number of Kilos of applam they make in a day.
The company was giving Rs. 7 per kilo and the workers could make 8 to 10 kilos of applam perday.
They discovered that at least they need Rs. 60 to spend for their daily food only. Over and above, they have to spend for other needs such as cloths, medicine, education of the children, and maintenance of the homes they live in.
They also discovered that the daily minimum wage announced by the government (Rs. 80) is not even implemented by the factory. Moreover the government has announced that it would increase the daily minim wage to Rs. 120.
They reflected that it is their right to have minimum wage and a decent life
Therefore, the members of YCW in Pallapatti decided to take action
Objectives of the action
To get a daily wage that could fulfill the daily basic needs. It means to get at least Rs. 80 per day·
Personally the YCW members had the objectives of getting an increase of at least Rs. 2 per kilos of applam they make ·
The objectives of the group was to strengthen the group through this action, to develop the leaders through this action and to find a solution for their problems·
To develop the capacity and confidence (in lobby, speaking to other young workers about the action and demand etc) of the members
Specific Demands of the action ·
To increase the wage from Rs. 7 to Rs. 9 per kilos of the applam they make ·
To implement minimum wage
The action itself & the Process ·
YCW members explained to other workers in one company that the daily wage they get (Rs. 30) was not enough to meet the daily expenses. The YCW members met the workers in their homes and reflected with them the need of the action to increase their wage.
It took more than 3 months to convince and get the support of other workers in the company to the demand of YCW base group. ·
3 YCW leaders with 5 other workers met the manager of the factory and talked with him and presented their demand to increase the wage from Rs. 7 to Rs. 9 per kilos of appalam.
The manager of the factory was unwilling to accept the demand of the workers.
The YCW base group had 3 meeting again to reflect on the next stage of the action and the process. And in the meeting the leaders decided that they should again meet with the manager of the factory with more workers and lobby forcefully for the demand and show that all workers are behind their demand.
On 20th May, they met the manager with 15 workers and again presented them demand.
Then the manager agreed for the negotiation. The negotiation talk took place with 3 leaders of YCW and 2 other workers. After long discussion the manager agreed to increase the wage from Rs. 7 to Rs. 8.50 per kilos of appalam.
For the time being the YCW leaders agreed on the increase of Rs. 1.50 per kilo of applam they make instead of their demand of Rs. 2 increase per kilo.
The Actors
The main actors of this action were 9 members of YCW group in Pallapatti and 60 workers from the factory.
Results of the action ·
The concrete result of the action was the increase of the wage from Rs. 7 to Rs. 8.50 per kilos of appalam.
The wage increase was implemented from 20th May 2009.
60 workers in one factory are the beneficiaries of this action
3 YCW leaders developed confidence in meeting and organising other workers
The group is now regularly meeting and reflecting on developing further actions
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