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10 December 2024 Study: Consequences of the coronavirus pandemic for migrant workers in the textile industry Tamil Nadus

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the precarious working conditions of female migrant workers in the Indian textile industry. A study by the organization READ (Rights Education And Development Centre) documents the situation of migrant women in Tamil Nadu and shows worsening working conditions.

The study by the Rights Education and Development Centre (READ) examines the working and living conditions of female migrants in the textile industry in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu after the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a field study of 200 migrant women – 120 from other states and 80 from Tamil Nadu itself – the report analyses their social and economic situation.

A central problem is the loss of wages and the decline in income. Many women now earn only 65% of their previous income, which greatly exacerbates their financial insecurity. These income losses have forced many migrant women to use up their savings or take on debt, further increasing their dependence on intermediaries and employers. This further weakened their already weak negotiating position. Working hours have also deteriorated for many. Long working hours were already a problem before the pandemic, but after COVID-19 they have often been extended – often without adequate remuneration or legal protection.

Although the pandemic has made the existing grievances clear, hardly any significant protective measures have been implemented to improve the situation of these women to date. Their needs and rights are largely ignored in political decisions.

The study therefore shows various solutions to improve the rights and the situation of women workers.