Plight of Women Workers in Karachi Industry

Plight of Women Workers in Karachi Industry
by Sheher Bano

The Daily News, Karachi

What made women's labour particularly attractive to the
capitalists was not only its lower price but also the greater
submissiveness of women.

- Clara Zetkin

While the world celebrated International Workers'
Day on May 1, the women workers of Pakistan still have a long way
to go before they achieve their rightful place in the society.
Just a glance at the industrial area of Korangi will reveal the
harsh working environment and bitter lives of an estimated 50,000
women working in the vicinity. They travel all the way from areas
like North Karachi, Landhi and Malir to Korangi so that they can
earn a living. They not only face challenges at work but are also
responsible for educating their siblings or children, marrying
off the female members of the family and at times even making
arrangements for their own dowry.

Mumtaz is one of the many working women in the Korangi industrial
area whose story is depressing yet not unique. She was married
off to a lawyer and was leading a happy life as a housewife. But
after the death of her husband, she was forced to work in a
garment factory in order to nurture her 11 children. She gets a
meagre pay of Rs. 2500, which all goes into the house budget. The
landlord of their house was sympathetic enough to let the widow
keep a small portion of the house on little rent. To help her
out, her three elder children started to work as well, of whom
two are in the same factory. Similarly, the private school where
the rest of her children are studying also wrote off their fee.

As far as the facilities are concerned, the workers in the
factory are given 10 days annual leave with no medical cover. At
work there are no unions or platform where workers can raise
their voices. "Factory owners become harsh towards those who
speak for their rights. So, we prefer to stay quiet, else we can
get in more trouble," narrated Mumtaz.

After the death of her husband, she had to sell all her
jewellery, valuables and household items. Her daughter Mehwish,
after completing her Bachelors in Fashion Designing from Punjab
University, did some odd jobs but ultimately unemployment forced
her to take a packing job in the same factory. "Designing clothes
is my passion and I even did my specialisation in it. If I had
financial support, I could have started my own boutique,"
lamented Mehwish.

Khadeeja bears a similar life. She earns a living through
cropping work in the Korangi Industrial Area on contractual basis
and gets Rs. 90 per 100 pieces. After her father died, her mother
remarried leaving her to bear the responsibility of her
11-year-old brother along with her own eight children. She is a
divorcee and hence the sole earner of the family. Earlier, she
used to work as a maid and did bead work for extra income on the
side. However her job as a maid, besides being humiliating,
didn't bring enough money to run the house. With no transport
facility available, she goes to work on foot even in the extreme
hot months of the year.

Shahnaz, a graduate, has been working in a chicken feed farm for
the past four years and is earning Rs. 5000 per month. A
divorcee, Shahnaz complains that the company does not cover the
medical for her or her children. At times, even with protection,
she develops a cough due to the nature of her work. However, when
she gets ill during work, the company arranges for the medical
treatment. "We can't even ask them to give full time medical
allowance because if we raise more of our matters, we might
infuriate our employers. And, we can't afford to get expelled
from our jobs," shared Shahnaz.

Samira works as a quality checker (QC) in an ISO-certified
factory in Korangi, which deals in jeans and denim pants.
Although the company takes care of its employees with many
incentives and facilities, Samira feels that the Rs. 3500 she
gets for her intricate work is not justified. As far as promotion
is concerned, it depends on the level of education and the
experience of the worker so one has to wait for a considerable
period of time to expect a raise. Unfortunately, union activity
is not allowed in her factory, hence there is no platform
available for the workers to put their concerns forward.

Let's now see what Saba goes through in her daily routine. She
has been working in a garment factory for the past five years as
a checker and is getting Rs. 4800. None of the workers are
allowed to sit or speak to other colleagues. If someone talks,
their supervisor takes a strong note of it. The lucrative
overtime offered can't be undertaken by most of them because the
factory is located in a remote area. The transport facility is
available for all workers, but in case of any unpleasant incident
the driver or the industrial unit refuses to take any
responsibility. "On 27th December, we reached home in the middle
of the night, because the driver dropped us at odd places and we
had to walk back home. While, if we miss work because of a
strike, our salary is deducted," said Saba.

None of the women working in the area gets the minimum wage of
Rs. 6000, which is fixed by the government. Women who work on a
per piece basis have no loan or advance facility available. And
because they are on contractual basis, they are not even entitled
to any privileges or rights provided to the permanent employees.

When asked about workers' problems and the role of factory
owners, Mian Zahid Hussain, Chairman All Pakistan Lubricant
Manufacturers Association, reported that the pick and drop
facility is provided to all female workers with strict warning to
the transporters regarding their safety. "In the wake of a
situation like that of 27th December when the whole city was in
chaos, no one could really be blamed. The management tries to
ensure the safety of every worker but sometimes things turn the
way you don't plan them to go."

Speaking specifically about unions he said that they are allowed
by law, but their misuse has created problems for the factory
owners in the past. The industry can't afford a strike, due to
petty issues created by the unionists. However, the labour
leaders have matured and instead of resorting to aggressive
tactics they now settle issues in a docile manner.

The major industrial countries of the world work on value
addition and export their products on higher prices. Pakistan is
lagging far behind in this sector. One of the main reasons is the
lack of latest technology. If the industrialists ship in modern
machines, they will be able to produce more in less time. This
will make the market more efficient and will benefit the workers
in return.

Short contracts, no or very limited medical cover, nominal
salary, strict job rules and forced overtime with no extra money
compels these women, specially the young ones, to change their
jobs frequently. In addition, the absence of unions causes the
women to confront their employers, and in most cases they are
fired from their jobs. The women, who choose to stay, have no
other option because finding another job is a hassle all in
itself. All we can do is to hope that the hardwork of these women
pays off and they soon get a friendly working environment with
sufficient facilities for them and their families.