Child Labour
I saw in the News a few days back about a UK Garment importing Firm banning 3 exporters from India from supplying them Readymade Garments as they accused them of employing child labour.
I am a garment exporter, so I can understand the trauma these Indian exporters must be going through.All their current orders stand still, their payments still due with the buyers will be stopped, and they will come to ruin very soon, and no other European Buyer will buy from them, as they will be blacklisted.
Since the last 10 years or so, the Western Countries have started to apply no child labour laws to exports from India.The big Importers and Chains, started to put their own conditions on the Exporters.In the Factory of the Exporter, there must be a fire exit,a pantry, a western style toilet for the staff, minimum wages chart to be put on the premisies, with the names of the people working, their ages,a nd the wages paid.and no child should be seen on the premises or in the vicinity.
Fine, I agree to some of the conditions.But actuall I don’t agree on any of them, coming to think of it.For all this, the exporter needs a very huge space, which in cities like Mumbai you just cant afford.In lower Parel, todays rates of offices in the Industrial Estates are over 20000 a square foot.That means that if an exporter needs 2000 sq feet of space, which is very less, the premises will cost him 4 crores.Just the basic premises, making these changes and office will set him backl by another 50 lakhs at least.
The interest on this 5 crores appx is 50 lakhs a year, and with the changes and wage increases they buyers insist on, should they not pay u the rate u want , that is a minimum profit of say 20 to 25% at least on yr produce ? No.They bargain like our locals, and make 2 exporters fight over the price.If A made the Sample , they will take quotations from B and C too.And sampling is to our business like SUV’s are to petrol.Both guzzlers.A did the hardest job of sampling, and to send a 2 dollor sample which ultimately passed, and got orders, the cost to the exporter in sampling must be like 2000 lDollors at least.I know this, because I have been involved in this line for donkey’s years.And there are 100’s of samples being made,on which depends yr next years orders and profits , if any.
Here’s why I find most of the demands of the importers ridiculous.
1) Child Labour – We order tea from the vendor, it is cheaper.For ourselves and the staff.Now how do we know if the vendor employs child labour.If that child is seen carrying Tea in yr office by the importer’s Rep, the above incident will happen.
2) Embroidery , Dyeing,beadwork, gold printing, - so many such jobs on the garments we give on contract labour to outside vendors.How do we know what labour they employ ?
3) English Toilet – The staff, who don’t have a toilet at home and live in chawls, where one toilet is shared by hundreds, where u have to take yr own water in a vessel, how the hell do they know how to use the Toilet with the Flush ?
4) Minimum Wages – I think are 5000 or more set by the Whites.Why should I pay 5000/ when the staff is ready to work for 3000/-.and working at those rates in the neighbourhood , of other businessmen, who do local work ? Why would u pay 5000 to someone who says they are happy with 3000/- ?
In a way I agree there should not be child labour.But for that first we must stop the production of children by the poor who breed like rabbits.Sterilize them.But they need more kids , to supplement their income,so they don’t want to spend money on educating them like us.The fault lies with the parents of these children, and not the employers.
For all the NGO’s, who fight against child labour, have they taken any steps at the grassroot levels to tell and educate the parents against breeding children ? Or distributed condoms ? Or done anything other than raising slogans in 5 star hotels .Have they taken any kids and adopted them in their own plush homes to make them as good as their own kids ?
Some things are easier said than done.This is interference in our internal matters by the foreigners, we have our problems, and we have to be competitive too in the international markets.If our contracters employ child labour, how is it our problem? We are not the nation’s conscience keepers, we are businessmen, who work hard, pay our taxes, and pay our just dues to everyeone who does work for us.Why penalize us for circumstances that are not in our control in any which way.
If we go by this yardstick, there will be more child beggars than child labourers very soon, and we would have sold our soul to the foreigners, like we once did a few hundred years back.A child labourer is better working than begging, as he gives good value to his employer for the money that he receives, if the choice is that he either begs or works.
All this for a Few Dollor More ? Since I am a small man with small means, I have stopped my exports, and I have invested the money that was tied up in the business, and reaping the rewards of not working with these Westerners.To those who still wish to work with them, do so at yr own peril.
KAMAL MAHTANI
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Dear Yashji,
thanks for yr kind comments.
In our Garment export trade, there are more than 2000 garment exporters in Jaipur.I can assure u, that i doubt if even one exporter keeps a child in his office.the reason is we need strong men to do thelifting of goods, and grown up expierenced ladies to do thread cutting, checking, alterations, putting garments in poly bags etc.
So a child has no place in our business.
Where the children come in , is when we give the goods to contractors for beadwork or Tie Dye, which are distributed house to house, and ladies of the houses do it in their homes, so children too join in.Now that is not child labour is it ???????????????When the child is working at home under the elders , and going to school too.
As Yash as i said, i am not a social worker, but i dont exploi t children too.
I feel sad like u all, when i hear of children being employued in the firwork factories in Sivakasi,in the brick making furnaces, that is bad, as well as bonded labour and slavery.
My blog was about intereference by the foreigners in areas that dont concern them.They should learn to mind their own business and not poke their nose in ours.
Thanks and regards.kamal
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dear Lakshmiji,
No probs u stick to yr views, whcih i found very sensible.Yes children are exploited in Brick Kilns, they are at times old and are slaves, yes i read all that and that is very sad and pathetic.
This is a forum to discuss and to agree to disagree.
Here we were talking of where children along with their parents work in their own homes after doing their school and house work, and help the parents to suppliment income, besides learning an art, and helping.
Regards.kamal
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Kamalji
and of course no hard feelings !!
I respect you for sticking to your guns but so do I
lakshmi
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Dear Achi,
Well said.Like u , me and so many feel a lot should be done for the underpriviliged.But the worst is the Govt who use them a s Vote Banks, and allow them to encroach in their contituiencies, and protect them when the bull dozers go to remove them.
This has to start from the top.You ane me aer too small to do anything.the big producer of kids have to be sterilized, forcibly or otherwise, we must bring the production of kids under control, otherwise u will find them working, begging or stealing, which is a shame really.
Regards.kamal
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Dear Kamal Sir...
Atleast the UK co. had the sense to deny such produced materials.... unless we stop using the products manufactured by these innocent and helpless souls the buisness tycoonc wont stop using them... give them a loss for their moolah and they will come back on tracks...
I once was clicking a pic of little girl who was begging to ma parents... after taking the pic.. My mom said give her some penny... I refused...SORRY! i ain't paying her anything... she is not supposed to be... i took her pic... maybe i used her situation for some pupose i am associated with... but thts for her too... i dont wanna waste her.. she is already wasted a lottt...
The Britishers had left us a long time ago.. theyhave changed...the entire world is changing...but the ROYAL british time norms are still being followed by us ..specially the upper middle and elite classes of the society... and we all face it... the hierarchy goes on ... We all are so hypocrates tht we boast of big talks and do the same nerdy things ourselves...
Before doing anything good... we need to remove our masks of Hypocricy and Selfishness (specially the hidden ones) first... then only we will get the willingness to do something... untill then.... its all a waste... Why do you think the rate of progress in our country is so slow and classified only to a group of people... the GDP is increasing but people still die of hunger and poverty...
What will the poor parents of such children then do.... they r forced to work... they have to eat after all... and how come the interest for studies come then...?? Outta question...
But the biggest problem in our countru is 'WHO WILL DO IT' AND 'HOW WILL HE/SHE DO IT' 'cos it requires lottsa MONEY and POWER... they speak volume... for that we need a huge uprising... and we have to bring that uprising... WE THE PEOPLE... no Govt... remember we r not frm the Govt. the Govt. is from us...
Vocationa training is a very good approach... had been thought about earlier too... but hadn't bee a sucess on a big scale .. reason?? just no infrastructure...
Unill we pull the Money Builders in this this aint gonna work... just voices wont give results... we need materials too... these poor kids cant do tht... we have to do this... the educated and concerned class...
1) Child Labour – We order tea from the vendor, it is cheaper.For ourselves and the staff.Now how do we know if the vendor employs child labour.If that child is seen carrying Tea in yr office by the importer’s Rep, the above incident will happen.
2) Embroidery , Dyeing,beadwork, gold printing, - so many such jobs on the garments we give on contract labour to outside vendors.How do we know what labour they employ ?
3) English Toilet – The staff, who don’t have a toilet at home and live in chawls, where one toilet is shared by hundreds, where u have to take yr own water in a vessel, how the hell do they know how to use the Toilet with the Flush ?
4) Minimum Wages – I think are 5000 or more set by the Whites.Why should I pay 5000/ when the staff is ready to work for 3000/-.and working at those rates in the neighbourhood , of other businessmen, who do local work ? Why would u pay 5000 to someone who says they are happy with 3000/- ?
The 'Child labour Prohibition and regulation Act 1986 and Rules' and 'Chil Labour Prohibition Act 1988' speaks a lotttt about regulations and norms for salary fuxation, age barriers...work schedules..etc... but we seldm follow them...cos we hardly know them... even the employees dont know them..and the alw enforcers are nowhere as usual... the labour class forget them... they need to eat after all... So awareness on a mass basis is the first requirement...
I will post the Laws and Rules in ma blog... hope u see them... ( though I guess u already know them)... for the others to know still...
Sir, lot of talks had been done verbally and in black and white... now its time to act.. we r pretty much late already...
Its a state of war and we need ot fight...
Like ur blog... Powerfull... hope to see more works from you... in this field...
am in... hope u join hands...
regards
Achi
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Dear Navalji,
You have done a great job giving us the ages of children who can work in USA and UK.So why do they put the restrictions on the Indians ?
Americans are richer than us, yet allow children to work.Is that not double standards for them, and one for us.
Thank u very much for putting thins in perceptive.
And this whole thing has been blown out of proportion.I do not advocate Child Labour at all.To those who make their children work, ask them why ?
Thanks and regards.kamal
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Dear Lakshmiji,
Correct, agreed.But what about those poor people on the streets, who aer in their thirties, with a dozen kids, u think they will learn ABCD now in their thirties ???????? they only know how to have sex, and p roduce kids, who will work and earn or beg for them.What can the Govt also do really.
these are the people who have to be forcibly sterilized, a la Sanjay Gandhi style.what can they learn at this age ??
And the kids of these people, well they have to be taught, fine, but their parents cant feed them.So they have two options , rather three, beg , borrow, steal , or work.that is the stark reality really.
Yes some NGO's are good , who do well for the cause, and some are the black sheep, this happens everywhere, the good and the bad.
You dont have to agree with me partly or wholly.I spoke from a businessman's point of view where he is penalized even after he does nto keep child labour, which is of no use to him anyway.But the controversy has gone on for reasons that i dont understand.
So be it.I stand by my statements , this is my stand.Take it or leave it.Regards.kamal
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Dear Mr.Swarajyaji,
These conditions apply to all the suppliers from all the countries, notonly India.
An exporter cannot keep child labour, and for us, a child labourer is a liability in fact.We would have to feed and house him, which we cant do.the offices are closed at night.We need able bodied strong workers, who are adults to do the heavy work.
But what i stressed in this blog was, that we cannot produce garments in house.We have to give out Garments for Stitching,Dyeing, Embroidery, Printing etc.Now if one of the contracters of ours is using a few childlabours and if the Importer finds out, or goes to the factory and sees a few kids, the report goes, and the exporter is on the streets.For what fault ?????????????
Even if we order tea from the vendor on the streets, for us and the staff, and if a small child ,maybe the owner's son, brings in the office and if seen by the Rep, well it is curtains for the exporter.
This is the point i was stressing in my blog, and someone has gone to make a big hue and cry about my blog.
Why should i tell the Tea Vendor to stop using children ? that s his problem not mine.I cannot control the enviorment, can I ? I am not interested to lose my sleep and go controlling the living habits of others around me.
To each their own,i am happy with my life, and my comforts and my money.If this irks others, so be it.I have paid my taxes and earned legitimately, and i can go for a Cruise for all i care, who are others to point fingers at me.Let them go and improve the world, i m happy ion mine,.
I am blunt, well i am not diplomatic, very true.that s the way i am.
Thanks for yr kind comments, and i hope u are enjoying the lovely USA summer with yr son and family.
Maybe somebody will critize you for being in comfort, while so many people in India are suffering and not having enough to eat,Mr.Swarajya.so be ready to be grilled here on Sulekha.
HAHA.Regards.kamal
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Dear Mr.Mulliner,
Well yr comment has disappeared and even u were wondering where it went eh " ! You are right i am not endorsing Child labour in any which way.Thanks for yr endorsment and kind words.Regards.kamal
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Dear U Gain,
U hit the nail on the head.This is what the Govt has to enforce.Look at China, they enforce it strictly.The same we can do it here.
On one hand , if the Govt does it, the BGO's will come and say, that the govt is strict and cruel.But the NGO's themselves will not do anything, besides meeting in 5 stars and discussing these things in teh comfrots of the AC.Each has their own agenda and an axe to grind, and i micne no words.
But each o\to their own opinions.Regards.kamal
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