THE STATUS OF WORKING PEOPLE IN THE GLOBALISATION SCENARIO
INTRODUCTION
This paper on the impact of globalization on the working people is the result of a group discussion held on 26th august 2002 at the CWM Office at Chennai. The group discussion on the subject was organized to prepare a document to be presented to CWM – Leaders of South Asian Countries.
The object of the discussion and a resultant paper is to enable the working people to understand the realities around them and evolve suitable action to combat such problems. The efforts must be seen in the larger and historical perspective. The launching of YCW and later CWM was to facilitate the workers in coalmines and factories in Europe. Thus the prime target of the movement was workers and their well-being and their future. The main issues relating to Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization in the world situation were discussed from various angles. The discussion may not be a high research at academic level, but the discussions ought to be enriched to reach deep down to the ordinary workers. The other members of other countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka would benefit immensely from the experiences documented in this paper.
The discussion has been divided in to five parts for convenience and proper understanding. Part I discusses the Problems of Globalization – the historical perspective and the present situation with special reference to India. Part II discusses one of most important and crucial for worker namely the growing unemployment with reference to Globalization with a particular context of India. Part III discusses another most important issue the impact of the globalization on women the half of workforce and half of humanity. Part IV discusses the national yardstick for just wages for just work and exposes the so-called living wages myth. Part V and final part discusses the possible alternatives for employment in the local context.
It is hoped that the paper will kindle a spirit of enquiry among the working people present for the Nepal conference and elsewhere. If the paper succeeds in raised the consciousness of the workers and prepare them to face the harsher realities not with pessimism but with unbridled optimism, then the purpose of the paper is fulfilled. That was after all the object of the paper and all those who participated in the discussion.
The CWM profusely thank Rev R V Mathias, Mr Kannan, Mrs Radhai,Mr Angelis, and Mr T X Gnanaraj for having participated in the discussion and enabled CWM to evolve this paper.
THE IMPACT OF GLOBALISATION ON THE WORKING PEOPLE
GLOBALIZATION:
Globalization in its narrowest meaning is the linking of the economies of the world nations so that the G 8 countries can penetrate the markets in these countries. The process of globalization is made possible by the last Uruguay Round of Talks on General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT) and the signing of World Trade Organization (WTO). As result of globalization, the Nations States were forced to liberalize the restrictions on the local as well as international trade to enable the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Therefore the private sector elbowed out the Government departments and public sector in the name of market economy and competition.
Globalization is the root cause of many of the economic and social tensions prevailing in many countries in the world. Since 1948 eight rounds of talks were held to arrive at a consensus on General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT) among world nations. International disagreements on General Agreement on Trade & Tariff among World Nations were bracketed into square brackets, which denoted that they were disputed.
Dunkel, Secretary General of Uruguay round of talks on GATT, came with a final draft. He removed the square brackets. Lot of globalized activities was held; doors were opened to foreign goods into Indian markets. Govt. said it is a step towards development, exchange rate was good but repaying capacity was low. India was not able to repay the World Bank loans.
The Second Round of talks put India under pressure. The process was very slow. There was no more service orientation. Restrictions on imports were lifted up. Investments in foreign countries were to be more, labour laws were to be amended; more utilization of local resources, subsidies on Public Distribution system was cut down and some categories of people are excluded.
There were no more free services: name of medicines were changed specially those coming from USA. There were restrictions levied on Imports – Exports. We are under bondage now. Toys and Chinese goods are flowing into Indian markets. As they are cheaper than Indian goods, Indian products cannot complete.
In terms of rice export, India must sell it at a high price, to cover the import tax of that country. The import / export laws and duties are different for developing and developed countries. This is in violation of human rights. Developing countries are depending on IMF more and more.
Infrastructure is necessary in the development of a Country. Flyovers are coming in every street and corner of towns. Multi National Corporations and Trans National Companies are promoting modernization and chemical fertilizers. People are campaigning against food insecurity; workers are displaced from fisheries into other fields. Prevention of Terrorist Organizations (POTO) and Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) are enacted to curtail people’s protests.
Health, Commerce, Medical facilities are no more services. Land, air water resources are privatized and as a result local people are denied of these facilities. Voluntary Retirement Scheme and Compulsory Retirement Scheme for the service sectors like bank, insurances, transportation, public sectors and Government departments are introduced as result of globalization, liberalization and privatization.
Previously Indians were going to USA, Europe, etc now the Multi National Corporations are coming to India due to cheap labour. Labour laws are amended in favour of Multi National Corporations and Trans National Corporations. Fundamentalist and Hindutva forces are strengthened.
There are dismal failures in all the sectors – manufacturing to services. The land loses it s fertility as a result of excessive usage of harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The farmers are producing cash crops and forced to buy food, which they no longer able to grow in their fields. Seeds are imported from other countries, which the Indian farmers find too expensive to buy.
Indigenous production is receding. Indian exports are sometimes prevented to other countries for ploys like Child Labour and violation of Human Rights. USA restricted Indian exports of carpets as it involves child labour. Japanese goods are found to be superior to American goods; hence USA does not import Japanese goods. Importing countries have rejected some of the Indian garments under the pretext that these are inflammable.
The removal of quantitative restrictions on import has enabled the rich countries to invest in the country. Giant companies like Ford, Sony, Panasonic, LG, Hyundai have entered the Indian soil but at the same time the existing companies like Hindustan Motors, Ashok Leyland, Mahendra, TATA, Onida, BPL, Keltron, Dynoara, Solidaire, Dunlop and a few others are closed or on the verge of closure. The employees in these companies are ousted or likely to be ousted. For instance the Ajantha clocks at Gujarat having an investment of Rs 200 Crores is closed due to the import of cheap Chinese clocks. The popular Leo Toys Company has been closed. The well known Aligarh lock companies have closed down their business With the entry and aggressive marketing strategies of Pepsi and Coke companies thousands of local beverages companies have been closed. On the food sector, MacDonald is preferred to local foods. Australian apples, Washington grapes are on demand as the people have fallen a prey to neo consumerism. The Bharat Heavy Electrical Company (BHEL) in Trichy used to boast 20000 employees but the work force has been reduced to just 8000.
Poverty alleviation is a wide spread concern in the predominantly agricultural countries of South Asia. Roughly one third to one fourth of the population living in the region falls below the poverty line, without having the basic amenities of life and more importantly without any mean of earning a livelihood. Of the total working population 60.1 percent is dependent on agriculture in India.
Part IV of the Directive Principles of State Policy (Constitution of India) States that the citizens have the right to an adequate means of livelihood. It also specifies that the ownership and control of the resources of the community have to be distributed as to serve the common good and the operation of the economic system does not result in the concentration of wealth and means of production of the common detriment. The apex court of India in many leading cases clearly indicated that the constitutional safeguard of right to life guaranteed under article 21 indicated the right to livelihood. Every citizen has the right to live a dignified life, which includes food, shelter and clothing. Today unemployment is a major concern of various Asian countries, particularly in India. It is questions when one does not have a job how can he /she lead a dignified life.
Even after 55 years of independence, India has not reached the stage to ensure access to productive livelihood. Those dependent upon low wage incomes and casual employment do not get employed throughout the year. Things get a lot worse when drought and other transitory problems occur. There are problems of discrimination by caste and gender, which have a bearing upon livelihood access. More than 60 percent of the Dalit population is landless agricultural coolies. As India is an agriculture society, the main source of livelihood is in agriculture. Nearly 68 percent of the working population is engaged in agriculture, prime among them being small and marginal farmers. The number of workers in agriculture has risen from 97 million in 1951 to 181 million in 1991.
Since the introduction of New Economic Policies in 1990 – 91, there is a constant shift from staples to cash crops. The area under food grains has declined by 2 percent and the area under coarse grains has declined by 18%. During 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 food production has gone down from 208.9 million Tones to 199.1 million Tones, while the non-food cash crops such as cotton and sugarcane have increased in production by 25 percent and 10 percent respectively. Commercialization of agriculture and the onslaught of new technologies for agricultural production in the name of mechanization have displaced millions of agricultural workers from work. To add fuel to fire, land alienation, in the name of tourism promotion, real estates, development schemes etc, has further resulted in unemployment among the agricultural sectors.
The major issues of water scarcity have further increased unemployment in the agricultural operation. The census of India 2001 discloses that there are 1015259 agricultural farmers in Tanjore, Tiruvarur and Nagai districts in the state of Tamil Nadu, the women workers being 435053. They get work only for 120 days in a year. Even this is deprived due to the scarcity of water in those districts. The government, which does not make any attempt to preserve water for irrigation, allows the multi National companies to make use of the deep ground water for commercial purposes.
From the beginning of the 90’s there has been a steady shift towards trade liberalization as a result of the pressure of the World Bank / IMF through structural adjustment policies. The policy changes have consistently attempted the government’s role in ensuring employment and livelihood. Security Privatization and market access have been encouraged in favour of the Multi National Companies. The government is forced to introduce Voluntary retirement Scheme (VRS) and government- undertaken steel plants, iron and ore plants etc. have been shut down. The new amendment in company law that states that companies having less than thousand employees can be closed without prior permission from the government. Hundreds of such companies throughout the country have been closed causing further unemployment. The policies of Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization (LPG) have deprived the people of their livelihood and means of livelihood. Poverty and unemployment are very common throughout the country; it is high time that the people learnt from the past experience of our Asian neighbors.
The devaluation of national currency is one of the conditions for IMF loans. This condition has ruined the Asian tigers, like Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea and the Philippines. The world countries are virtually under siege by the G 8 countries. It is colonialism under the combined banner of World Bank and IMF. The artificial inflation of local currency caused by the U.S. and its allies in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea and few other Asian countries have caused the economic downfall of those countries. Upto the early 1990 South Korea had closed the doors to foreign investments. In 1987 the country allowed foreign banks and insurance corporations to have their business. Slowly the doors were open for foreign investments but with restrictions, inspite of which in 1997, 17613 organizations became bankrupt, out of which 8 were big giants and multi faceted organizations, which had a debt of more than 20 trillion dollars. The companies had to file pauper suit. Millions of employees lost their jobs. Indonesia was the worst affected nation due to the artificial inflation of money. Several factories were closed down. Half of the total population (200 million) became unemployed. The experience was the same in Malaysia and Thailand.
The problem of unemployment is on the increase. People have fallen prey to the neo consumerism. People opt for imported goods encouraging the foreign companies to import Australian apple. Washington grapes, etc. our market has paved the way for foreign markets depriving our own generation of its source of livelihood. Presently more than 50 million educated are unemployed.
The central government introduces the scheme of VRS and other forms of reduction in employment in every sector, not because of the national cause but because of the pressure from the World Bank and IMF. Due to this policy millions of people have lost their employment. The Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL) Company of Trichy in Tamil Nadu, prior to these polices had nearly 20,000 employees but now has only 8000 employees. Privatization has crept into al departments inclusive of Airways, Railways, Roadways, Telecommunication, Coalmines, etc. sovereignty of India is no more. It is no more. It is an Colonialism under the World Bank and its allies.
UNEMPLOYMENT – CAUSES & CONSEQUENCES:
There can be no remedial measure for unemployment and its related consequences unless one looks deeper into the core of the issue.
Economic:
The motive force behind production in capitalism is profit, more profit and super profit. This can be achieved only by denying the labour its due share. The labour force always creates surplus vale. This surplus is a gain for the society in Socialist system of production and recycled into the society for the welfare of the common people in the form of free education, free medical facilities, subsidized transport, water supply, road etc. in capitalist system of production this surplus value of labour goes into the pockets of the private industrialist. As every component of capitalist system namely production, distribution, trade, market etc, is profit driven there is n value for human beings at all. The system always requires a set of people to remain unemployed as that is only way to bargain with the workforce so that they are forced to work with the least possible wages under the intolerable environment without any job security. Therefore eradication of unemployment problem is never in the agenda of the capitalist system of production.
The very concept of mixed economy that is public and private sector gave the elbowing power to the private sector to loot the public sector. The ruling classes that took part in the country’s freedom struggle agreed for the mixed economy based on the Tata – Mahalanobis or Bombay Plan, on one condition that the public sector would be open to private sector after a considerable period. The very object of creation of public sector was to create employment opportunities, make the country independent and self sufficient on key industries and to hold over the private monopoly. While the public sector was opening up new employment avenues, on their part the private sector employed the capital- intensive technology to reduce the labour force gradually. That has resulted in narrowing down of the employment avenues in the private sector.
Rural poverty:
The repeated failure of monsoons, the never ending river disputes among the riparian states, the adverse effects of the Green revolution, the ever increasing cost of agrarian inputs, the seasonal job opportunity, the inability of the peasantry to market their produce are some the problems. Along with the decline of farming, the allied rural industries also waned in to oblivion. The traditional carpenters, blacksmiths, potters, washers and other artisans are losing jobs are turned to urban settlements for better pastures where they end up as unskilled labour.
The middle and poor peasantry had no option but to sell the land as the high yielding varieties of seeds, the chemical fertilizers and pesticides have only ruined them. The input cost did not meet the sale price of food grains and as a result, the peasantry sold the lands.
Biotechnology its exploitation:
With the advancement of bioengineering, these giant companies have introduced Genetically Modified Organism technique, which enables theses companies to operate a biological switch with which the entire growth of the plants in controlled. The recent suicides of cotton farmers in the state of Andhra Pradesh are a pointer towards this fact. Similarly the cotton growers in Salem (Tamil Nadu) have also lost a fortune in using the “BT” cotton.
Bio piracy: Bio wealth of the country is robbed. These companies have spread their net over the entire Asia to control the growth of paddy, which is a staple diet for many Asians. With this aim, they have introduced the “Golden Rice” in many countries. The entry of Multi National Corporations in seed technology has affected the community, as theses seeds are terminator seeds, which may give a good harvest but the seeds do not produce again. It makes the peasantry perpetually depend on the Multi National Corporations for seeds. This process would greatly affect the Indian peasantry and thrown them out to the food production processes. Now the peasantry is going for Public Distribution System for food items.
Concentration of land in the hands of a few has aggravated the rural poverty and forced the farm labour out of the production processes. Further, the mechanization and modernization of agriculture have rendered the rural masses unemployed.
The peasantry has been forced to go in for cash crops as against the food crops due to compulsion and as result the number of farm hands used in each operation has reduced and they are rendered unemployed. The drought the regular demon in the rural areas often visits many areas of the country and that has forced many in rural areas out of employment.
Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization has ruined agriculture. The food security is under threat, as a result of Intellectual Property Rights and the economy plundered. Some of the Indian brands are patented e.g. Neem, Aloe Vera, Basmati Rice. Modernization in agriculture has misplaced a lot of workers. Wastelands are taken and given to rich and affluent and companies, thus the landless are bereft of the opportunity. The lands are likely to be given to food corporations of foreign countries.
In the name of Green Revolution, people are forced to spray pesticides of special Multi National Corporations at different stages of growth of paddy plants. The farmers are unaware of different kinds of pesticides and the ill effects of cash crops plantation.
The “development” projects, hydro, thermal, atomic power projects and defense projects like Narmada Dam, Tehri dam, Baliapal (Orissa), Ezhilmala (Kerala), Vijayanarayanapuram (Naval Project), Koodankulam, Kalpakkam (atomic projects) (all in Tamil Nadu) have displaced large number of rural masses from their traditional homes and lands. Theses people are without jobs.
Evictions in big cities and metropolitan cities in the name of beautification of cities have displaced the urban poor and they have lost their menial jobs. The capitalist mode of production has displaced lot of people and they are forced to migrate to other States and Countries for jobs. As a result, social tensions arise between the natives and the settlers. In any riots, the settlers are attacked and they are made to flee or lose their jobs.
Inflow of foreign capital and job insecurity:
More and more foreign companies are allowed to operate in the country and labour laws of the country are subverted brazenly to enable them to exploit the labour in the country. The employees in these companies can be dismissed at any time and no law can protect them. These companies have obtained “investment security” from National Governments so that they can hire and fire the employees as they wish.
As the Multi National Corporations and Trans National Corporations are primarily profit oriented, they increasingly use capital-intensive technology to reduce the number of employees. The foreign banks have greatly reduced their employees and run the operations with skeleton staff and contract labour. The entry of foreign legal firms has threatened the jobs of lakhs of lawyers in the country. In the name of globalization the country’s millions of people are likely to be rendered jobless.
These Global operators would employ more and more scientifically trained labour, and a great number of laborers would be thrown out in the street. Already the South American countries like Argentina, Brazil and Mexico in the North American continent, Indonesia, Malaysia in Asian continent have undergone the throes of globalization.
Caste and untouchability: Caste system and untouchability have contributed to the bane of unemployment. The outcastes due to century old prejudices do not get opportunity to go to schools and often end up as unemployed. The stigma attached to caste, has prevented them to get decent jobs in the private sector, which is known for its caste apartheid. Caste based vacancies are deserved under the pretext that they are vacant for more than 3 years. When Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes come to urban areas, they face problems. If their identity is revealed, they may not get a place to stay in urban areas. Caste Hindus and Brahmins for example dominate shipping agencies in Chennai. Multi National Corporations and Private Companies will not reserve any vacancy for Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes. Thus 40% of the population is excluded due to stigma of caste. Brahmins are given preference over the rest.
A separate ministry for disinvestments from the Government controlled industries has been formed at the Center and this ministry is bent upon selling the government shares. As a result, the socially and economically disadvantageous groups like the SC, ST and OBC are deprived of their chances. The government is making a force by declaring reservations for these groups on the one side and privatizing the industries on the other side. Theses groups, which enjoy the policy of “positive discrimination” due to centuries old prejudices, would be rendered jobless.
Towards the policy of down sizing the number of governmental departments voluntary and compulsory retirement schemes are planned to send home a large number of employees. Already there exists a ban on recruitment to group C and D.
Education:
Education continues to be the preserve of the dominant castes and the oppressed castes lose the chances to get decent education. Therefore, they are unable to compete with the students form the dominant castes that, with their traditional hold on the bureaucracy easily corner the majority of jobs. Further, the McCauley type of liberal education has only produced millions of unskilled labour.
Engineering colleges are mushrooming. More funds are given for Defense. Employment avenues are totally closed. In the past 8% was spent on Education, today 1% is spent on education & this too is referred as “huge Investment” and yet we speak of Right of Life, Right to Education, shelter, primary education, equality in higher education etc, etc.,
The parliamentary democracy has placed enormous power in the hands of the rich and affluent. These groups dictate terms to the government be it at the States or at the Center. The policies of the right of the Center political parities always support the rich and affluent. The policy decisions of the various political parties have ruined the lives of millions of poor.
Consequences:
Economics – A large number of scientifically trained people migrate to other countries and the country loses its potential labour force. Labour becomes cheaper and cheaper and as a consequent wages are reduced. The reduced wages pushes the labour families into poverty and destitution. Employment regulations, no of working hours, minimum wages, welfare measurers, just wages etc are flouted brazenly with the help of the National Government Machinery.
Due to external pressures the fertile ands were converted into shrimp culture and other aqua farms. The salt water in these farms have affected the fertility of the adjoining lands and thereby fertile lands are laid waste. This has resulted in more rural poverty and unemployment. The country’s food security is threatened and as per the WTO agreement, even if a country has self – sufficiency in food production, some food import has to be done.
The village, small scale and family based industries are unable to compete with the Multi National Corporations.
The ruling classes have already sold out the telecommunication under the name of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd., (BSNL) and Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd., (VSNL). Roads and bridges are converted into toll roads and toll bridges. Private transporters are entering the bus transportation corporations of the States. Privatization has entered in aviation transport, railways. A number of private airways have entered the aviation transport.
A moral degradation has taken place. Women and children are treated as sexual objects. Human labour has lost its dignity. Unemployment leads to frustration and drug abuse, drug trafficking, communalism; fundamentalism and violence seem to offer outlets for the depression. Regionalism and jingoism (narrow patriotism) rise creating social tensions.
GLOBALIZATION and WOMEN
The quality of woman’s liberation is determined by violence free life, quality education, medical facilities, meaningful hobbies and cultural facilities. Also the urge for better life of citizens their personal as well as social life are determined by these factors.
When Nation states themselves have pledged their sovereignty to rich countries and when a World Bank determines what to produce in a country and to sell at what prices, women’s personality is totally disregarded. Hence these poor women have lost the very little command they had over their lives.
As a result of World Bank’s directions that free medical services to be made paid services, the Govt has reduced the expenditure on service departments. The blow to women is formidable. Hence, the first to lose medical facilities in poor families will always be women. They are forced to adopt cheaper and sometimes dangerous form of medicines. It is ironical that when the Govt has declared the year is increasing the personality of women, the impact of Globalization as women is very high and unbearable.
Loss of food security:
One of the important impacts of Globalization on women in third world countries is the threat to food security. Govt subsidies on food items are gradually cut and the ration cards are seized. Instead of food grains, shrimps, fruits, flowers, orchid flowers and cash crops are preferred for export. For instance the lower cultivation in Haryana State in 1991 was only 50 hectares but in 1995 it has increased to 1600 hectares. As a result the food production is reducing and the prices of food grains rise. During such food distribution crisis in any family, the women become the very first victims to lose food permanently.
Women in agriculture:
During a recent study in Nedvangkottai, Tiruvarur Dist, Tamilnadu, CAB – AGRO Ltd Company in collaboration with an American food company has planted “Jerkins” (little cucumbers) instead of paddy in 300 acres. The entire production of ‘jerkins’ is for export. The district is known for paddy cultivation. Women nowadays sort out the jerkins according to size. For 10 – 12 hours work the women are paid a measly Rs. 30/- only. During the paddy cultivation days hundreds of women used to get seasonal employment for 180 days from sowing till harvesting. However in Jerkins cultivation in 300 acres only 30 women are employed.
Further as the cultivation is export oriented, there is no permanent work for women. It has been found also after a period of ten years of cultivation of jerkins, the land become unfit for paddy production. When food production and distribution etc become the preoccupation of National and Multi-national Companies, women’s traditional knowledge and skill on farming are permanently lost.
Gender Exploitation of Women:
The rural women in the Philippines and Thailand for their survival are employed in Bars and Nightclubs. They are subject to Gender violence and exploitation due to low wages and temporary jobs. Also many young women from poor Asian countries, due to excessive rosy picture of developed countries, go for baby-sitting and governess jobs. However most of them are lured into commercial sex industry. Duping young poor women and transporting them to other places and countries has transformed into an international business. This is very high in South Asia, which has open borders (Malaysia, Thailand & Singapore).
The situation in India is despicable. Every year in Mumbai city, the commercial capital of India, 45,000 women are recruited, forced and pushed into sex trade. Out of this figure 5000 – 7000 women are from the Himalayan Country Nepal. The foreign exchange remitted by these poor and hapless women back to their native countries has blinded the Government’s indifference. There is very little concern for their safety and health. In the computer age, women are duped into attractive jobs and fabulous marriages through Internet. However the women realize that they are lured into sex industry in foreign countries. The whole process has been executed by ‘mafias’ and has grown into a massive criminal business.
It is pertinent to note that after the fall of Soviet Union and socialist economy many Russian women migrated to western European countries and entered prostitution. That had happened due to loss of employment of many women when economy switched from socialist to market (Capitalist). We have to hang our heads in shame to see the fall of these women in socialist countries who stood high in many phases of public life and stood as famous symbols of gender equality.
Employment opportunities for women:
Though scattered data have been collected to prove that women have benefited by Globalization in term of employment opportunities, the nature of jobs, restrictions on job etc prove otherwise. Opportunities for women galore only in temporary contract works, unorganized works, works that can be done domestically. The Government’s welfare state attitude to reduce the burden of women as they are holding additional works like child rearing ad house hold chores – has been totally lost due to liberalization.
The plight of women workers in Industrial Estates and Export oriented clients in pathetic. For instances, 4000 women are employed in NOIDA, an industrial area very near to New Delhi. Compulsory overtime is in force there. Only unmarried women are employed and will be dismissed if they marry later. For married women pregnancy test is conducted and only if pregnancy is not proved they can be employed. To secure their jobs these women often undergo abortions and as a result their health is severely affected. Some times abortions are carried out by untrained people and sometimes even result in deaths. Due to compulsory overtime, these women are unable to eat properly, sleep properly and get affected psychologically and physiologically. The same situation also exists in all Export Processing Zone including the one in Chennai (Tambaram). There are six export zones in Tambaram a suburban area of Chennai Metropolitan city, where four thousand women are employed.
Due to free trade and liberalization women in cotton and ginning mills, power looms, handlooms and textile mills are greatly affected. The handloom weavers of late are literally begging for food as the state Government has refused to buy their products for free distribution to poor. Globalization has crippled women in cottage and domestic industries, as the sale price of imported items is far less.
After the World War II, the third World Countries could not cope up with the changes and they were lagging behind. Women were the most affected. Multi National Corporations are only investing money. The land, labour and resources belong to every one, but sharing is not equal. Due to green revolution farmwomen are migrating. Children are not wanted any more. Abortions are on the increase. For want of sufficient medical facilities many of them lose jobs.
Girl children are sold in Andhra Pradesh due to poverty and dowry problems. Due to Consumerism and aggressive advertisements in TVs and other mass media, people are dragged into in fructuous purchases. Women are neglected in education. Option for foreign goods is increasing in Consumerism. Subsidies are reduced in the Service Sector like education, health, etc. Women are always concerned about their children and families and do not care about their own health. Man is still dominating the day-to-day affairs. Public Distribution System, which is the sole source of survival for millions of people living below poverty line, is under severe restrictions. In the name of modernization, women and their bodies are exploited. There is no protection for women in general. Recently in Gujarat women were the worst victims of communal holocaust: Pregnant women were stoned and their children were killed. There is so much awareness made on AIDS but on the other side, women are raped and sexually abused. The work in Private companies has affected young women and turned them into chattels.
Chemical fertilizers used in the cashew plantations in Karwar and Mangalore have made drastic effects on women and Children. There are deformities in newborn babies. BBC news had covered these incidents. Bonded labour still exists in rural India.
In Manjolai Tea Plantation in Tamil Nadu the land is sold to Multi National Corporations disguisedly for cultivation. Oxygen, air and water are sold for a price. Oxygen chambers in Chennai are selling fresh forest / Sea air for Rs. 20/- per 15 minutes.
Aloe Vera – a traditional plant (cactus) grown in India in now patented in USA. Gel, creams, shampoos and soaps prepared from this plant are now manufactured in USA and exported back to India. The prices are ranging between Rs 900 – 1000 for each item.
Young girls working in Free Trade Zones in Bangladesh are made to sit in the same position. The clothes these girls produced are exported to foreign countries for a high price. Only the rejected items are sold in local market.
Young girls and women are employed in restaurants and pubs for serving drinks and beers as in foreign countries. As result they are gradually lured in to sexual trade.
In India some couples are now aping western life styles like “Double Income No Kids” (DINK). They want to work and earn and not interested in having children. Many of couples are also prefer adoption of children to avoid the related miseries to pregnancy.
Their thinking capacity is diverted to spirituality and superstitious beliefs are inculcated into the women. Religion is used to sidetrack the people.
JUST WAGES FOR ALL:
According to Dr. Aikroid a worker of 60 kg weight requires 2600 calories of energy to work for 6 hrs in a day. A calorie is a heat required to increase 1 kg of water by 1 degree centigrade. For instance a gram of sugar gives 3.5 calories of energy. A man of 60 kg weight requires 60 calories of energy for just to lie down for an hour. For the same man t sleep for an hour he requires 54 calories of energy. For sitting erect for an hour the energy required is 84 calories; for standing for an hour 96 calories; for slow walking 120 calories: for soft work 240 calories; for hard work 390 calories of energy is required. 1 gm of carbohydrate or protein gives 4.1 calories of energy. 1 gm of fat gives 9.3 calories of energy. In this way, the various components of food required to give 2600 calories of energy was calculated and the cost was worked out. Only vegetarian food was suggested, and the non-vegetarian food was costlier. Dr. Mukerjee grossly differed from Dr. Aikroid. He was of the opinion that if the formula of Dr. Aikroid were accepted, a worker would be affected by mal-nutrition and hence soon would be rendered incompetent for any job. The irony was that in reality, the Central Government was prepared to fix the minimum wages for its own employees in terms of the formula of Dr. Aikroid.
A family was considered to be one with a husband, wife and two children. The family planning was neither popular nor in practice at that point of time even among the middle and the rich classes. Still the needs of two children only would be taken into account the un-earning old aged members also would not be fitted within the definition of family for the purpose of calculation of minimum wages. For the purpose of food consumption the husband is considered to consume I unit: wife 0.8 unit: each of the two children 0.6 unit. Thus the total consumption units are calculated to be 3.
The job security has become a distant dream for ordinary workers. He cannot do any job. Rs 4212/- is the minimum wage for an unorganized worker to look after himself and his family i.e. 4 members in total. To sustain him this amount is the minimum. Child is considered as a money making machine. In the construction work, the similar nature of work done by men, women and children, but men is paid 100/- women 90/- and children 60/-. Teachers are displaced in every 3 months. There is no job security. All rates are fixed for electricity, telephones, air fares etc, etc, only varying factor is human labour. VRS has displaced labour. Trade Union Free Zones are created. Multi National Corporations say those earning 6500/- and above are not workmen but belong to management Cadre. If there are less than 1000 workers, they can close the Company any time without any prior permission. No one can go to labour court. Contract jobs are given to private companies. Security jobs of Banks are now given to Private Companies. Bonded labour still prevails. Indian situation says, “Just work, Just wages but job security is under threat. Only 8% of the Indian Population is availing of just work, safety and just wages. Labour laws are not stable. No more strikes, they are termed as illegal. Constitutional rights are basic rights, but these are violated.
The third pay commission appointed by the Government of India calculated the minimum wages keeping this definition of the family. The minimum wages of a worker was fixed to be Rs 347.25 at Consumer Price Index 177 (Base = year 1960); if the same is converted at 200 points of C.P.I. the same would work out to be Rs 392.37 in terms of the formula of Dr. Aikroid. At present the Consumer Price Index has crossed 2300 points. Therefore the minimum wages as of today would be not less than Rs 4500/- per month. The same should increase depending upon the experience and productivity. If this is applied, then how many are paid this minimum wages is for everyone to see. The percentage of the workforce who would get the minimum wages ranges from 5 to 8.
The Second Labour Commission headed by Shri Ravindra Varma has submitted its report to the Prime Minster, wherein sweeping changes have been suggested. The present Government at the centre is likely to accept all the recommendations in to and implement them scrupulously.
Some of the changes to the labour laws likely to be brought are:
There shall be no notice served for any change in service conditions.
Any establishment with less than 1000 employees can be closed without any permission from the Government.
A minimum of one third of the workforce or 100 in number is required to form a trade union instead of seven workers at present.
If only on third of the employees vote for strike through a secret ballot, strike notice can be served.
An employee cannot approach any legal forum if dismissed from employment.
An employee earning Rs. 6500/- and above cannot be a workman under the definition of workman as per Industrial Dispute Act 1947.
The contract labour abolition and regularization act shall be so amended so that even for perennial and continuous work contract labour can be engaged.
Just environment is a casualty in most of the work places. In order to earn super profit with the least investment, no attention is paid to the environment. All the statutory provisions are violated with impurity. The inspectors from the labour department are in collusion with the owners of the factories to avoid adverse report on the factory.
The job security is under great threat even among the organized labour that constitutes only 10% of the total work force. The unorganized lot does not enjoy any job security. Hire and fire is the order of the day. Already the teachers and hospital staff are not under the preview of Industrial Disputes Act – 1947. They cannot approach any labour tribunal for relief if they are treated badly or even if they are sent out of jobs. If theses changes are made, it is certain that the job security will soon vanish even for the organized labour.
Consequences of Globalization:
The various consequences are suicides; drug abuse, trafficking, violence, terrorism, migration, social exclusion, forced flesh trade, Insecurity, communalistic politics, New Consumerism, fundamentalism, displacement, reduction in female population ( for instance 1000:880 in Salem, Dharmapuri), brain drain, food insecurity, money devaluation, unemployment, under employment, cheap labour, swindling by non-banking finance companies, total dependency, breaking down of families human values and joint families, cut throat competitions, corruption. Sometimes working people are not even aware that our humanity is emptied by Multi National Corporations. They are like parasites and leaches silently squeezing the blood of working people. (For instance the Bhopal Gas tragedy where lakhs of people are affected but no worthwhile compensation is paid so far).
Just work for all – a possibility?.
While we adhere to just work we have to think of just wage that ensures a fair wage to lead a dignified life, meaning one gets food, shelter and clothing. Is this a possibility when most of the population is struggling for survival? Taking stock of the hard realties on must make a step towards achieving “Work for all” if not “Just work for all”. This can be either direct employment for oneself or indirect support to the nationals to have employment.
ALTERNATIVES:
The modernization of technology has to be minimum to the extent of increasing the productivity without job loss of people. If in case the jobless in totally unavoidable the workers have to be retrained and given employment elsewhere. In this way just labour can be ensured. It is the bounden duty of the enlightened working class to create awareness among the workers and public at large in this direction.
Protection for small and cottage industries in the levy of excise duty and taxes would help them to rejuvenate. Big industries ought to be kept out of certain mass consumption items. For instance Tata Salt has eaten away the jobs of millions of ordinary workers in salt farms.
Stringent laws are to be enacted to protect our natural flora and fauna to prevent MULTI NATIONAL Corporations making patent on them. Sustainable agriculture based on traditional farming techniques to be promoted and integrated farming is to be highlighted. Seed banks are to be created to protect the seed wealth of the community.
Creation of Technical schools in rural areas would help the rural masses to acquire technical skills. Agro based co-operative industries are to be promoted.
Organizing united action: Organizing community action and generation of awareness on the factors behind unemployment is necessary. Similarly community action is needed to fight the neo consumerism.
Boycott MNCs and imported goods: Each region in India has its own local and traditional foods and beverages, which is based on the resources available locally. They suit the people climatically. Those foods need to be promoted. The producers will get employment. The foreign food companies in Indian market shall be rejected. The fun food and junk foods like pizzas, burgers and coke shall be boycotted.
Organizing united action
Organizing community action and generation of awareness on the factors behind unemployment need to be initiated. Neo consumerism and initiating appropriate action to deal with them has to be planned out.
Abstaining from consuming MNC’s goods and imported goods
Each region in India has its own local and traditional foods and beverages, which is based on the resources available locally. They suit them climatically. Those foods need to be promoted. The producers will get employed. The foreign food companies in Indian market shall be rejected. The ‘fun foods’ and ‘Junk food’ like pizzas, burgers and cokes are to avoided
Land - redistribution
The basic measure required in this direction is implementation of land reforms. The land ceiling act, which permits only a certain acres of land for an individual, has to be implemented in its strict sense. The land reforms have helped the tillers and it has increased the food production abundantly. This in turn has increased the purchasing capacity of several lakhs of farmers who in turn go to market to purchase their minimum needs. This creates demand for products, which in turn enhances the job opportunities for millions of people.
The surplus lands are to be distributed to the landless labour. Co-operative agricultural farms are to be created. That would help a large number of masses in the rural area. A radical program of land – redistribution to make available considerably more land to the poor particularly to the tillers who have the significant potential to increase food production at low cost. The surplus lands, government lands and temple lands can be fought back and given to tillers.
Water conservation:
Water conservation and giving adequate share of water to poor peasants will essentially promote agricultural activities. In fact the water needs of the smallest peasants should get priority attention. This will increase employment. A system of water conservation can be adopted which will involve conservation of natural resources and the efficient use of rain, surface and ground water.
Food first approach:
While deciding crop priorities it is important to promote a ‘food first’ approach cropping pattern. Any village community should give first priority to meeting local food needs and cash crops should be grown only on the remaining land.
Alternative enterprises:
Communities should be helped to promote alternative enterprises so as not to be dependent on agriculture. Examples of such are horticulture, fisheries, forestry, livestock rearing, weaving, craft making etc.
Food – for – work:
Effective utilization of these schemes have proved t be very successful in many places. The local churches can adopt this scheme and provide employment.
Effective management of local resources:
The common property resources can be adequately allocated among the deserving. The Gram Sabas can play an effective role in this regard.
Adopting employment Assurance Scheme (EAS)
The Employment Assurance Scheme of Maharashtra shall be adopted at every church level.
Promoting of community farming and cooperatives at parish level:
Local markets at parish levels can be created for locally produced goods through community farming. Church level co-operatives will be very effective and beneficial to the members.
Promotion of rural industries:
The Chinese technology has transcended the frontiers. The rural technology of Japan is a well-known fact. In Kerala many households are engaged in assembling voltage stabilizers. By adopting theses experiences rural industries for various products like candles, incense sticks, electronics etc. can be promoted whereby thousands can find employment. These industries shall be made as an alternative for commercialized tidal parks.
Service Centers:
The concept of service center is to utilize the community skills for the community. After a survey and registration of skilled persons in your locality, be it any skill from teaching to electronic repairs, plumbing, mason etc- announce the community to approach a particular telephone number for any need. This would help community economically. . The diploma holders, technicians etc. will find employment through this center.
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Cooperative Sectors:
Industrial Co Operatives- these kind of co operatives are based on single or group professions like for instance carpenters’ co operatives, plumbers’ cooperatives etc. The advantage is that the District Collector can give the Govt tenders to these cooperatives without calling for tenders.
Consumer cooperatives – these kind of cooperatives are fast moving as they can procure anything consumables from food grains to durable goods like suitcases, televisions, etc The advantage is that the products can be procured at the factory rates thereby avoiding the fat profits of the middlemen in trade
Tuition Centers:
There are a number of choices for educated unemployed graduates. The tuition centers are a great source – for regular school/college students, for special coaching, preparatory coaching for competitive exams, counseling for higher studies and job. A school nearby would be handy. After inviting a letter of intent from prospective teachers for two hours 4 pm to 6 pm, schools can be approached for nominal rent.
Consultancy Services:
In the fast world of today people have no time to go and find many things for instance the various concessions granted to the passengers in the Indian railways or the various welfare measures offered by the State/Central government’s or the scholarships offered by the State/Central government’s /private trusts/charities. In such case, a consultancy center would meet needs and a nominal fee can be collected which the users would be too willing to give.
Community Finance:
To eliminate the usury community finance can be an alternative. Close-knit groups can contribute some subscription every month and on the basis small loans on personal security can be given to the members for a very nominal rate of interest.
Networking Sharing:
Some commodities are sold very cheap rate in some areas and these are sold for very high price. Persons from areas where these are sold for cheap rates can purchase and the same can be sold in areas where these would fetch a nominal profit.
Self Help Groups:
These are primarily meant for women in lower income groups. They can save some money, which would serve as seed capital for small works. Now the State Governments are concentrating on the model.
Cottage or Small Industries:
Traditional industries have still hold some market in small or local markets. Such items can be identified and developed.
Institutions Based Works:
Church has vast number of schools, institutions which not only have regular employment potential but also contractual works – plumbing, tailoring, supply of note and text books, small civil and building works, cleaning, white and color washing, carpentry, etc. With the active involvement of the bishops and priests and religious these can be tried out.
Cooperative Farms:
Wasteland development program is in the offing. Any co-operative society, individual or corporate body can involve in this scheme.
Boycott the Seeds of Multi National Companies: The MNC seeds are genetically improved and they destroy the other natural seeds. They also affect the fertility of the soil. The local community is to preserve the seeds in every village and use it in the next year. They will not buy any seeds from foreign companies. The peasantry in Bangladesh follows this.
‘Work for all’ is a concept which does not have a ready answer. The country is falling a prey to the neo colonization. The people are going to face harsher reality unless immediate intervention is made. They need to join hands in driving the dragon out of the nation and to uphold the sovereignty of the state.
Joining hands with the masses and taking action is very important. To execute these projects a strong political will is required. In the absence of such a will, it is for the communities to explore the ways and means through powerful people’s movements.
SIGNS OF HOPE:
Every dark cloud has a silver lining it is said. Likewise the onslaught of the G 8 countries has not been unchallenged. People all over the world be it developed and developing – are protesting against the plunder and pillage of the MNCs.
The concerned people in G – 8 countries are also protesting for equality and voicing their protest fighting against globalization. In Italy, energy is scarce and they are fighting to make energy a fundamental right. Three lakhs of people gathered in Geneva, Switzerland to voice their protest against Globalization.
Mexico and Argentina are fighting against globalization. In Oct 2001, 6000 women organizations protested. Women are the worst hit. She bears the brunt of the effect of globalization.
CONTRIBUTORS
Rev. Fr. R.V. Mathias, Vicar General, Diocese of Trichchirappalli, now in Bangalore Executive Secretary of Laity Commission working for 30 years for the well being of the working class, to bring them out of the boundaries.
Mr. C.P. Krishnan, General Secretary, DENA Bank Employees Union and Secretary Bank Employees Federation of India, Tamil Nadu He is associated with nine major Unions. Lakhs of workers join together for various causes.
Mrs. Radhai, State Committee Member All India Democratic Women’s Association
Mr. Angelis – Human Rights Lawyer based in Chennai, working with Non Governmental Organizations and voluntary organizations, Movements of fishermen, unorganized sector, Quarry workers and CWM India.
Mr. T.X Gnanaraj – Social Activist and employed with Ministry of Railways. He has been working with youth and Non Governmental Organizations. Actively involved with Dalit issues and YCW and other organizations within and outside the church
Mrs. Monica, International Vice President, WMCW – Pune an Ex-Bank employee on VRS.
Mr. V. Pankiraj working as a Regional Coordinator for South Asian Regional Solidarity
Mr. Deepam – a social activist, an ex YCW office bearer and Bank employee
Mr. Amaladas, Former Head master of a Diocesan School and presently President of CWM India.
Rev. Fr. B. Antony, National Chaplain CWM India, Port Chaplain of the Port of Chennai
INTRODUCTION
This paper on the impact of globalization on the working people is the result of a group discussion held on 26th august 2002 at the CWM Office at Chennai. The group discussion on the subject was organized to prepare a document to be presented to CWM – Leaders of South Asian Countries.
The object of the discussion and a resultant paper is to enable the working people to understand the realities around them and evolve suitable action to combat such problems. The efforts must be seen in the larger and historical perspective. The launching of YCW and later CWM was to facilitate the workers in coalmines and factories in Europe. Thus the prime target of the movement was workers and their well-being and their future. The main issues relating to Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization in the world situation were discussed from various angles. The discussion may not be a high research at academic level, but the discussions ought to be enriched to reach deep down to the ordinary workers. The other members of other countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka would benefit immensely from the experiences documented in this paper.
The discussion has been divided in to five parts for convenience and proper understanding. Part I discusses the Problems of Globalization – the historical perspective and the present situation with special reference to India. Part II discusses one of most important and crucial for worker namely the growing unemployment with reference to Globalization with a particular context of India. Part III discusses another most important issue the impact of the globalization on women the half of workforce and half of humanity. Part IV discusses the national yardstick for just wages for just work and exposes the so-called living wages myth. Part V and final part discusses the possible alternatives for employment in the local context.
It is hoped that the paper will kindle a spirit of enquiry among the working people present for the Nepal conference and elsewhere. If the paper succeeds in raised the consciousness of the workers and prepare them to face the harsher realities not with pessimism but with unbridled optimism, then the purpose of the paper is fulfilled. That was after all the object of the paper and all those who participated in the discussion.
The CWM profusely thank Rev R V Mathias, Mr Kannan, Mrs Radhai,Mr Angelis, and Mr T X Gnanaraj for having participated in the discussion and enabled CWM to evolve this paper.
THE IMPACT OF GLOBALISATION ON THE WORKING PEOPLE
GLOBALIZATION:
Globalization in its narrowest meaning is the linking of the economies of the world nations so that the G 8 countries can penetrate the markets in these countries. The process of globalization is made possible by the last Uruguay Round of Talks on General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT) and the signing of World Trade Organization (WTO). As result of globalization, the Nations States were forced to liberalize the restrictions on the local as well as international trade to enable the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Therefore the private sector elbowed out the Government departments and public sector in the name of market economy and competition.
Globalization is the root cause of many of the economic and social tensions prevailing in many countries in the world. Since 1948 eight rounds of talks were held to arrive at a consensus on General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT) among world nations. International disagreements on General Agreement on Trade & Tariff among World Nations were bracketed into square brackets, which denoted that they were disputed.
Dunkel, Secretary General of Uruguay round of talks on GATT, came with a final draft. He removed the square brackets. Lot of globalized activities was held; doors were opened to foreign goods into Indian markets. Govt. said it is a step towards development, exchange rate was good but repaying capacity was low. India was not able to repay the World Bank loans.
The Second Round of talks put India under pressure. The process was very slow. There was no more service orientation. Restrictions on imports were lifted up. Investments in foreign countries were to be more, labour laws were to be amended; more utilization of local resources, subsidies on Public Distribution system was cut down and some categories of people are excluded.
There were no more free services: name of medicines were changed specially those coming from USA. There were restrictions levied on Imports – Exports. We are under bondage now. Toys and Chinese goods are flowing into Indian markets. As they are cheaper than Indian goods, Indian products cannot complete.
In terms of rice export, India must sell it at a high price, to cover the import tax of that country. The import / export laws and duties are different for developing and developed countries. This is in violation of human rights. Developing countries are depending on IMF more and more.
Infrastructure is necessary in the development of a Country. Flyovers are coming in every street and corner of towns. Multi National Corporations and Trans National Companies are promoting modernization and chemical fertilizers. People are campaigning against food insecurity; workers are displaced from fisheries into other fields. Prevention of Terrorist Organizations (POTO) and Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) are enacted to curtail people’s protests.
Health, Commerce, Medical facilities are no more services. Land, air water resources are privatized and as a result local people are denied of these facilities. Voluntary Retirement Scheme and Compulsory Retirement Scheme for the service sectors like bank, insurances, transportation, public sectors and Government departments are introduced as result of globalization, liberalization and privatization.
Previously Indians were going to USA, Europe, etc now the Multi National Corporations are coming to India due to cheap labour. Labour laws are amended in favour of Multi National Corporations and Trans National Corporations. Fundamentalist and Hindutva forces are strengthened.
There are dismal failures in all the sectors – manufacturing to services. The land loses it s fertility as a result of excessive usage of harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The farmers are producing cash crops and forced to buy food, which they no longer able to grow in their fields. Seeds are imported from other countries, which the Indian farmers find too expensive to buy.
Indigenous production is receding. Indian exports are sometimes prevented to other countries for ploys like Child Labour and violation of Human Rights. USA restricted Indian exports of carpets as it involves child labour. Japanese goods are found to be superior to American goods; hence USA does not import Japanese goods. Importing countries have rejected some of the Indian garments under the pretext that these are inflammable.
The removal of quantitative restrictions on import has enabled the rich countries to invest in the country. Giant companies like Ford, Sony, Panasonic, LG, Hyundai have entered the Indian soil but at the same time the existing companies like Hindustan Motors, Ashok Leyland, Mahendra, TATA, Onida, BPL, Keltron, Dynoara, Solidaire, Dunlop and a few others are closed or on the verge of closure. The employees in these companies are ousted or likely to be ousted. For instance the Ajantha clocks at Gujarat having an investment of Rs 200 Crores is closed due to the import of cheap Chinese clocks. The popular Leo Toys Company has been closed. The well known Aligarh lock companies have closed down their business With the entry and aggressive marketing strategies of Pepsi and Coke companies thousands of local beverages companies have been closed. On the food sector, MacDonald is preferred to local foods. Australian apples, Washington grapes are on demand as the people have fallen a prey to neo consumerism. The Bharat Heavy Electrical Company (BHEL) in Trichy used to boast 20000 employees but the work force has been reduced to just 8000.
Poverty alleviation is a wide spread concern in the predominantly agricultural countries of South Asia. Roughly one third to one fourth of the population living in the region falls below the poverty line, without having the basic amenities of life and more importantly without any mean of earning a livelihood. Of the total working population 60.1 percent is dependent on agriculture in India.
Part IV of the Directive Principles of State Policy (Constitution of India) States that the citizens have the right to an adequate means of livelihood. It also specifies that the ownership and control of the resources of the community have to be distributed as to serve the common good and the operation of the economic system does not result in the concentration of wealth and means of production of the common detriment. The apex court of India in many leading cases clearly indicated that the constitutional safeguard of right to life guaranteed under article 21 indicated the right to livelihood. Every citizen has the right to live a dignified life, which includes food, shelter and clothing. Today unemployment is a major concern of various Asian countries, particularly in India. It is questions when one does not have a job how can he /she lead a dignified life.
Even after 55 years of independence, India has not reached the stage to ensure access to productive livelihood. Those dependent upon low wage incomes and casual employment do not get employed throughout the year. Things get a lot worse when drought and other transitory problems occur. There are problems of discrimination by caste and gender, which have a bearing upon livelihood access. More than 60 percent of the Dalit population is landless agricultural coolies. As India is an agriculture society, the main source of livelihood is in agriculture. Nearly 68 percent of the working population is engaged in agriculture, prime among them being small and marginal farmers. The number of workers in agriculture has risen from 97 million in 1951 to 181 million in 1991.
Since the introduction of New Economic Policies in 1990 – 91, there is a constant shift from staples to cash crops. The area under food grains has declined by 2 percent and the area under coarse grains has declined by 18%. During 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 food production has gone down from 208.9 million Tones to 199.1 million Tones, while the non-food cash crops such as cotton and sugarcane have increased in production by 25 percent and 10 percent respectively. Commercialization of agriculture and the onslaught of new technologies for agricultural production in the name of mechanization have displaced millions of agricultural workers from work. To add fuel to fire, land alienation, in the name of tourism promotion, real estates, development schemes etc, has further resulted in unemployment among the agricultural sectors.
The major issues of water scarcity have further increased unemployment in the agricultural operation. The census of India 2001 discloses that there are 1015259 agricultural farmers in Tanjore, Tiruvarur and Nagai districts in the state of Tamil Nadu, the women workers being 435053. They get work only for 120 days in a year. Even this is deprived due to the scarcity of water in those districts. The government, which does not make any attempt to preserve water for irrigation, allows the multi National companies to make use of the deep ground water for commercial purposes.
From the beginning of the 90’s there has been a steady shift towards trade liberalization as a result of the pressure of the World Bank / IMF through structural adjustment policies. The policy changes have consistently attempted the government’s role in ensuring employment and livelihood. Security Privatization and market access have been encouraged in favour of the Multi National Companies. The government is forced to introduce Voluntary retirement Scheme (VRS) and government- undertaken steel plants, iron and ore plants etc. have been shut down. The new amendment in company law that states that companies having less than thousand employees can be closed without prior permission from the government. Hundreds of such companies throughout the country have been closed causing further unemployment. The policies of Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization (LPG) have deprived the people of their livelihood and means of livelihood. Poverty and unemployment are very common throughout the country; it is high time that the people learnt from the past experience of our Asian neighbors.
The devaluation of national currency is one of the conditions for IMF loans. This condition has ruined the Asian tigers, like Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea and the Philippines. The world countries are virtually under siege by the G 8 countries. It is colonialism under the combined banner of World Bank and IMF. The artificial inflation of local currency caused by the U.S. and its allies in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea and few other Asian countries have caused the economic downfall of those countries. Upto the early 1990 South Korea had closed the doors to foreign investments. In 1987 the country allowed foreign banks and insurance corporations to have their business. Slowly the doors were open for foreign investments but with restrictions, inspite of which in 1997, 17613 organizations became bankrupt, out of which 8 were big giants and multi faceted organizations, which had a debt of more than 20 trillion dollars. The companies had to file pauper suit. Millions of employees lost their jobs. Indonesia was the worst affected nation due to the artificial inflation of money. Several factories were closed down. Half of the total population (200 million) became unemployed. The experience was the same in Malaysia and Thailand.
The problem of unemployment is on the increase. People have fallen prey to the neo consumerism. People opt for imported goods encouraging the foreign companies to import Australian apple. Washington grapes, etc. our market has paved the way for foreign markets depriving our own generation of its source of livelihood. Presently more than 50 million educated are unemployed.
The central government introduces the scheme of VRS and other forms of reduction in employment in every sector, not because of the national cause but because of the pressure from the World Bank and IMF. Due to this policy millions of people have lost their employment. The Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL) Company of Trichy in Tamil Nadu, prior to these polices had nearly 20,000 employees but now has only 8000 employees. Privatization has crept into al departments inclusive of Airways, Railways, Roadways, Telecommunication, Coalmines, etc. sovereignty of India is no more. It is no more. It is an Colonialism under the World Bank and its allies.
UNEMPLOYMENT – CAUSES & CONSEQUENCES:
There can be no remedial measure for unemployment and its related consequences unless one looks deeper into the core of the issue.
Economic:
The motive force behind production in capitalism is profit, more profit and super profit. This can be achieved only by denying the labour its due share. The labour force always creates surplus vale. This surplus is a gain for the society in Socialist system of production and recycled into the society for the welfare of the common people in the form of free education, free medical facilities, subsidized transport, water supply, road etc. in capitalist system of production this surplus value of labour goes into the pockets of the private industrialist. As every component of capitalist system namely production, distribution, trade, market etc, is profit driven there is n value for human beings at all. The system always requires a set of people to remain unemployed as that is only way to bargain with the workforce so that they are forced to work with the least possible wages under the intolerable environment without any job security. Therefore eradication of unemployment problem is never in the agenda of the capitalist system of production.
The very concept of mixed economy that is public and private sector gave the elbowing power to the private sector to loot the public sector. The ruling classes that took part in the country’s freedom struggle agreed for the mixed economy based on the Tata – Mahalanobis or Bombay Plan, on one condition that the public sector would be open to private sector after a considerable period. The very object of creation of public sector was to create employment opportunities, make the country independent and self sufficient on key industries and to hold over the private monopoly. While the public sector was opening up new employment avenues, on their part the private sector employed the capital- intensive technology to reduce the labour force gradually. That has resulted in narrowing down of the employment avenues in the private sector.
Rural poverty:
The repeated failure of monsoons, the never ending river disputes among the riparian states, the adverse effects of the Green revolution, the ever increasing cost of agrarian inputs, the seasonal job opportunity, the inability of the peasantry to market their produce are some the problems. Along with the decline of farming, the allied rural industries also waned in to oblivion. The traditional carpenters, blacksmiths, potters, washers and other artisans are losing jobs are turned to urban settlements for better pastures where they end up as unskilled labour.
The middle and poor peasantry had no option but to sell the land as the high yielding varieties of seeds, the chemical fertilizers and pesticides have only ruined them. The input cost did not meet the sale price of food grains and as a result, the peasantry sold the lands.
Biotechnology its exploitation:
With the advancement of bioengineering, these giant companies have introduced Genetically Modified Organism technique, which enables theses companies to operate a biological switch with which the entire growth of the plants in controlled. The recent suicides of cotton farmers in the state of Andhra Pradesh are a pointer towards this fact. Similarly the cotton growers in Salem (Tamil Nadu) have also lost a fortune in using the “BT” cotton.
Bio piracy: Bio wealth of the country is robbed. These companies have spread their net over the entire Asia to control the growth of paddy, which is a staple diet for many Asians. With this aim, they have introduced the “Golden Rice” in many countries. The entry of Multi National Corporations in seed technology has affected the community, as theses seeds are terminator seeds, which may give a good harvest but the seeds do not produce again. It makes the peasantry perpetually depend on the Multi National Corporations for seeds. This process would greatly affect the Indian peasantry and thrown them out to the food production processes. Now the peasantry is going for Public Distribution System for food items.
Concentration of land in the hands of a few has aggravated the rural poverty and forced the farm labour out of the production processes. Further, the mechanization and modernization of agriculture have rendered the rural masses unemployed.
The peasantry has been forced to go in for cash crops as against the food crops due to compulsion and as result the number of farm hands used in each operation has reduced and they are rendered unemployed. The drought the regular demon in the rural areas often visits many areas of the country and that has forced many in rural areas out of employment.
Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization has ruined agriculture. The food security is under threat, as a result of Intellectual Property Rights and the economy plundered. Some of the Indian brands are patented e.g. Neem, Aloe Vera, Basmati Rice. Modernization in agriculture has misplaced a lot of workers. Wastelands are taken and given to rich and affluent and companies, thus the landless are bereft of the opportunity. The lands are likely to be given to food corporations of foreign countries.
In the name of Green Revolution, people are forced to spray pesticides of special Multi National Corporations at different stages of growth of paddy plants. The farmers are unaware of different kinds of pesticides and the ill effects of cash crops plantation.
The “development” projects, hydro, thermal, atomic power projects and defense projects like Narmada Dam, Tehri dam, Baliapal (Orissa), Ezhilmala (Kerala), Vijayanarayanapuram (Naval Project), Koodankulam, Kalpakkam (atomic projects) (all in Tamil Nadu) have displaced large number of rural masses from their traditional homes and lands. Theses people are without jobs.
Evictions in big cities and metropolitan cities in the name of beautification of cities have displaced the urban poor and they have lost their menial jobs. The capitalist mode of production has displaced lot of people and they are forced to migrate to other States and Countries for jobs. As a result, social tensions arise between the natives and the settlers. In any riots, the settlers are attacked and they are made to flee or lose their jobs.
Inflow of foreign capital and job insecurity:
More and more foreign companies are allowed to operate in the country and labour laws of the country are subverted brazenly to enable them to exploit the labour in the country. The employees in these companies can be dismissed at any time and no law can protect them. These companies have obtained “investment security” from National Governments so that they can hire and fire the employees as they wish.
As the Multi National Corporations and Trans National Corporations are primarily profit oriented, they increasingly use capital-intensive technology to reduce the number of employees. The foreign banks have greatly reduced their employees and run the operations with skeleton staff and contract labour. The entry of foreign legal firms has threatened the jobs of lakhs of lawyers in the country. In the name of globalization the country’s millions of people are likely to be rendered jobless.
These Global operators would employ more and more scientifically trained labour, and a great number of laborers would be thrown out in the street. Already the South American countries like Argentina, Brazil and Mexico in the North American continent, Indonesia, Malaysia in Asian continent have undergone the throes of globalization.
Caste and untouchability: Caste system and untouchability have contributed to the bane of unemployment. The outcastes due to century old prejudices do not get opportunity to go to schools and often end up as unemployed. The stigma attached to caste, has prevented them to get decent jobs in the private sector, which is known for its caste apartheid. Caste based vacancies are deserved under the pretext that they are vacant for more than 3 years. When Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes come to urban areas, they face problems. If their identity is revealed, they may not get a place to stay in urban areas. Caste Hindus and Brahmins for example dominate shipping agencies in Chennai. Multi National Corporations and Private Companies will not reserve any vacancy for Scheduled Castes / Scheduled Tribes. Thus 40% of the population is excluded due to stigma of caste. Brahmins are given preference over the rest.
A separate ministry for disinvestments from the Government controlled industries has been formed at the Center and this ministry is bent upon selling the government shares. As a result, the socially and economically disadvantageous groups like the SC, ST and OBC are deprived of their chances. The government is making a force by declaring reservations for these groups on the one side and privatizing the industries on the other side. Theses groups, which enjoy the policy of “positive discrimination” due to centuries old prejudices, would be rendered jobless.
Towards the policy of down sizing the number of governmental departments voluntary and compulsory retirement schemes are planned to send home a large number of employees. Already there exists a ban on recruitment to group C and D.
Education:
Education continues to be the preserve of the dominant castes and the oppressed castes lose the chances to get decent education. Therefore, they are unable to compete with the students form the dominant castes that, with their traditional hold on the bureaucracy easily corner the majority of jobs. Further, the McCauley type of liberal education has only produced millions of unskilled labour.
Engineering colleges are mushrooming. More funds are given for Defense. Employment avenues are totally closed. In the past 8% was spent on Education, today 1% is spent on education & this too is referred as “huge Investment” and yet we speak of Right of Life, Right to Education, shelter, primary education, equality in higher education etc, etc.,
The parliamentary democracy has placed enormous power in the hands of the rich and affluent. These groups dictate terms to the government be it at the States or at the Center. The policies of the right of the Center political parities always support the rich and affluent. The policy decisions of the various political parties have ruined the lives of millions of poor.
Consequences:
Economics – A large number of scientifically trained people migrate to other countries and the country loses its potential labour force. Labour becomes cheaper and cheaper and as a consequent wages are reduced. The reduced wages pushes the labour families into poverty and destitution. Employment regulations, no of working hours, minimum wages, welfare measurers, just wages etc are flouted brazenly with the help of the National Government Machinery.
Due to external pressures the fertile ands were converted into shrimp culture and other aqua farms. The salt water in these farms have affected the fertility of the adjoining lands and thereby fertile lands are laid waste. This has resulted in more rural poverty and unemployment. The country’s food security is threatened and as per the WTO agreement, even if a country has self – sufficiency in food production, some food import has to be done.
The village, small scale and family based industries are unable to compete with the Multi National Corporations.
The ruling classes have already sold out the telecommunication under the name of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd., (BSNL) and Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd., (VSNL). Roads and bridges are converted into toll roads and toll bridges. Private transporters are entering the bus transportation corporations of the States. Privatization has entered in aviation transport, railways. A number of private airways have entered the aviation transport.
A moral degradation has taken place. Women and children are treated as sexual objects. Human labour has lost its dignity. Unemployment leads to frustration and drug abuse, drug trafficking, communalism; fundamentalism and violence seem to offer outlets for the depression. Regionalism and jingoism (narrow patriotism) rise creating social tensions.
GLOBALIZATION and WOMEN
The quality of woman’s liberation is determined by violence free life, quality education, medical facilities, meaningful hobbies and cultural facilities. Also the urge for better life of citizens their personal as well as social life are determined by these factors.
When Nation states themselves have pledged their sovereignty to rich countries and when a World Bank determines what to produce in a country and to sell at what prices, women’s personality is totally disregarded. Hence these poor women have lost the very little command they had over their lives.
As a result of World Bank’s directions that free medical services to be made paid services, the Govt has reduced the expenditure on service departments. The blow to women is formidable. Hence, the first to lose medical facilities in poor families will always be women. They are forced to adopt cheaper and sometimes dangerous form of medicines. It is ironical that when the Govt has declared the year is increasing the personality of women, the impact of Globalization as women is very high and unbearable.
Loss of food security:
One of the important impacts of Globalization on women in third world countries is the threat to food security. Govt subsidies on food items are gradually cut and the ration cards are seized. Instead of food grains, shrimps, fruits, flowers, orchid flowers and cash crops are preferred for export. For instance the lower cultivation in Haryana State in 1991 was only 50 hectares but in 1995 it has increased to 1600 hectares. As a result the food production is reducing and the prices of food grains rise. During such food distribution crisis in any family, the women become the very first victims to lose food permanently.
Women in agriculture:
During a recent study in Nedvangkottai, Tiruvarur Dist, Tamilnadu, CAB – AGRO Ltd Company in collaboration with an American food company has planted “Jerkins” (little cucumbers) instead of paddy in 300 acres. The entire production of ‘jerkins’ is for export. The district is known for paddy cultivation. Women nowadays sort out the jerkins according to size. For 10 – 12 hours work the women are paid a measly Rs. 30/- only. During the paddy cultivation days hundreds of women used to get seasonal employment for 180 days from sowing till harvesting. However in Jerkins cultivation in 300 acres only 30 women are employed.
Further as the cultivation is export oriented, there is no permanent work for women. It has been found also after a period of ten years of cultivation of jerkins, the land become unfit for paddy production. When food production and distribution etc become the preoccupation of National and Multi-national Companies, women’s traditional knowledge and skill on farming are permanently lost.
Gender Exploitation of Women:
The rural women in the Philippines and Thailand for their survival are employed in Bars and Nightclubs. They are subject to Gender violence and exploitation due to low wages and temporary jobs. Also many young women from poor Asian countries, due to excessive rosy picture of developed countries, go for baby-sitting and governess jobs. However most of them are lured into commercial sex industry. Duping young poor women and transporting them to other places and countries has transformed into an international business. This is very high in South Asia, which has open borders (Malaysia, Thailand & Singapore).
The situation in India is despicable. Every year in Mumbai city, the commercial capital of India, 45,000 women are recruited, forced and pushed into sex trade. Out of this figure 5000 – 7000 women are from the Himalayan Country Nepal. The foreign exchange remitted by these poor and hapless women back to their native countries has blinded the Government’s indifference. There is very little concern for their safety and health. In the computer age, women are duped into attractive jobs and fabulous marriages through Internet. However the women realize that they are lured into sex industry in foreign countries. The whole process has been executed by ‘mafias’ and has grown into a massive criminal business.
It is pertinent to note that after the fall of Soviet Union and socialist economy many Russian women migrated to western European countries and entered prostitution. That had happened due to loss of employment of many women when economy switched from socialist to market (Capitalist). We have to hang our heads in shame to see the fall of these women in socialist countries who stood high in many phases of public life and stood as famous symbols of gender equality.
Employment opportunities for women:
Though scattered data have been collected to prove that women have benefited by Globalization in term of employment opportunities, the nature of jobs, restrictions on job etc prove otherwise. Opportunities for women galore only in temporary contract works, unorganized works, works that can be done domestically. The Government’s welfare state attitude to reduce the burden of women as they are holding additional works like child rearing ad house hold chores – has been totally lost due to liberalization.
The plight of women workers in Industrial Estates and Export oriented clients in pathetic. For instances, 4000 women are employed in NOIDA, an industrial area very near to New Delhi. Compulsory overtime is in force there. Only unmarried women are employed and will be dismissed if they marry later. For married women pregnancy test is conducted and only if pregnancy is not proved they can be employed. To secure their jobs these women often undergo abortions and as a result their health is severely affected. Some times abortions are carried out by untrained people and sometimes even result in deaths. Due to compulsory overtime, these women are unable to eat properly, sleep properly and get affected psychologically and physiologically. The same situation also exists in all Export Processing Zone including the one in Chennai (Tambaram). There are six export zones in Tambaram a suburban area of Chennai Metropolitan city, where four thousand women are employed.
Due to free trade and liberalization women in cotton and ginning mills, power looms, handlooms and textile mills are greatly affected. The handloom weavers of late are literally begging for food as the state Government has refused to buy their products for free distribution to poor. Globalization has crippled women in cottage and domestic industries, as the sale price of imported items is far less.
After the World War II, the third World Countries could not cope up with the changes and they were lagging behind. Women were the most affected. Multi National Corporations are only investing money. The land, labour and resources belong to every one, but sharing is not equal. Due to green revolution farmwomen are migrating. Children are not wanted any more. Abortions are on the increase. For want of sufficient medical facilities many of them lose jobs.
Girl children are sold in Andhra Pradesh due to poverty and dowry problems. Due to Consumerism and aggressive advertisements in TVs and other mass media, people are dragged into in fructuous purchases. Women are neglected in education. Option for foreign goods is increasing in Consumerism. Subsidies are reduced in the Service Sector like education, health, etc. Women are always concerned about their children and families and do not care about their own health. Man is still dominating the day-to-day affairs. Public Distribution System, which is the sole source of survival for millions of people living below poverty line, is under severe restrictions. In the name of modernization, women and their bodies are exploited. There is no protection for women in general. Recently in Gujarat women were the worst victims of communal holocaust: Pregnant women were stoned and their children were killed. There is so much awareness made on AIDS but on the other side, women are raped and sexually abused. The work in Private companies has affected young women and turned them into chattels.
Chemical fertilizers used in the cashew plantations in Karwar and Mangalore have made drastic effects on women and Children. There are deformities in newborn babies. BBC news had covered these incidents. Bonded labour still exists in rural India.
In Manjolai Tea Plantation in Tamil Nadu the land is sold to Multi National Corporations disguisedly for cultivation. Oxygen, air and water are sold for a price. Oxygen chambers in Chennai are selling fresh forest / Sea air for Rs. 20/- per 15 minutes.
Aloe Vera – a traditional plant (cactus) grown in India in now patented in USA. Gel, creams, shampoos and soaps prepared from this plant are now manufactured in USA and exported back to India. The prices are ranging between Rs 900 – 1000 for each item.
Young girls working in Free Trade Zones in Bangladesh are made to sit in the same position. The clothes these girls produced are exported to foreign countries for a high price. Only the rejected items are sold in local market.
Young girls and women are employed in restaurants and pubs for serving drinks and beers as in foreign countries. As result they are gradually lured in to sexual trade.
In India some couples are now aping western life styles like “Double Income No Kids” (DINK). They want to work and earn and not interested in having children. Many of couples are also prefer adoption of children to avoid the related miseries to pregnancy.
Their thinking capacity is diverted to spirituality and superstitious beliefs are inculcated into the women. Religion is used to sidetrack the people.
JUST WAGES FOR ALL:
According to Dr. Aikroid a worker of 60 kg weight requires 2600 calories of energy to work for 6 hrs in a day. A calorie is a heat required to increase 1 kg of water by 1 degree centigrade. For instance a gram of sugar gives 3.5 calories of energy. A man of 60 kg weight requires 60 calories of energy for just to lie down for an hour. For the same man t sleep for an hour he requires 54 calories of energy. For sitting erect for an hour the energy required is 84 calories; for standing for an hour 96 calories; for slow walking 120 calories: for soft work 240 calories; for hard work 390 calories of energy is required. 1 gm of carbohydrate or protein gives 4.1 calories of energy. 1 gm of fat gives 9.3 calories of energy. In this way, the various components of food required to give 2600 calories of energy was calculated and the cost was worked out. Only vegetarian food was suggested, and the non-vegetarian food was costlier. Dr. Mukerjee grossly differed from Dr. Aikroid. He was of the opinion that if the formula of Dr. Aikroid were accepted, a worker would be affected by mal-nutrition and hence soon would be rendered incompetent for any job. The irony was that in reality, the Central Government was prepared to fix the minimum wages for its own employees in terms of the formula of Dr. Aikroid.
A family was considered to be one with a husband, wife and two children. The family planning was neither popular nor in practice at that point of time even among the middle and the rich classes. Still the needs of two children only would be taken into account the un-earning old aged members also would not be fitted within the definition of family for the purpose of calculation of minimum wages. For the purpose of food consumption the husband is considered to consume I unit: wife 0.8 unit: each of the two children 0.6 unit. Thus the total consumption units are calculated to be 3.
The job security has become a distant dream for ordinary workers. He cannot do any job. Rs 4212/- is the minimum wage for an unorganized worker to look after himself and his family i.e. 4 members in total. To sustain him this amount is the minimum. Child is considered as a money making machine. In the construction work, the similar nature of work done by men, women and children, but men is paid 100/- women 90/- and children 60/-. Teachers are displaced in every 3 months. There is no job security. All rates are fixed for electricity, telephones, air fares etc, etc, only varying factor is human labour. VRS has displaced labour. Trade Union Free Zones are created. Multi National Corporations say those earning 6500/- and above are not workmen but belong to management Cadre. If there are less than 1000 workers, they can close the Company any time without any prior permission. No one can go to labour court. Contract jobs are given to private companies. Security jobs of Banks are now given to Private Companies. Bonded labour still prevails. Indian situation says, “Just work, Just wages but job security is under threat. Only 8% of the Indian Population is availing of just work, safety and just wages. Labour laws are not stable. No more strikes, they are termed as illegal. Constitutional rights are basic rights, but these are violated.
The third pay commission appointed by the Government of India calculated the minimum wages keeping this definition of the family. The minimum wages of a worker was fixed to be Rs 347.25 at Consumer Price Index 177 (Base = year 1960); if the same is converted at 200 points of C.P.I. the same would work out to be Rs 392.37 in terms of the formula of Dr. Aikroid. At present the Consumer Price Index has crossed 2300 points. Therefore the minimum wages as of today would be not less than Rs 4500/- per month. The same should increase depending upon the experience and productivity. If this is applied, then how many are paid this minimum wages is for everyone to see. The percentage of the workforce who would get the minimum wages ranges from 5 to 8.
The Second Labour Commission headed by Shri Ravindra Varma has submitted its report to the Prime Minster, wherein sweeping changes have been suggested. The present Government at the centre is likely to accept all the recommendations in to and implement them scrupulously.
Some of the changes to the labour laws likely to be brought are:
There shall be no notice served for any change in service conditions.
Any establishment with less than 1000 employees can be closed without any permission from the Government.
A minimum of one third of the workforce or 100 in number is required to form a trade union instead of seven workers at present.
If only on third of the employees vote for strike through a secret ballot, strike notice can be served.
An employee cannot approach any legal forum if dismissed from employment.
An employee earning Rs. 6500/- and above cannot be a workman under the definition of workman as per Industrial Dispute Act 1947.
The contract labour abolition and regularization act shall be so amended so that even for perennial and continuous work contract labour can be engaged.
Just environment is a casualty in most of the work places. In order to earn super profit with the least investment, no attention is paid to the environment. All the statutory provisions are violated with impurity. The inspectors from the labour department are in collusion with the owners of the factories to avoid adverse report on the factory.
The job security is under great threat even among the organized labour that constitutes only 10% of the total work force. The unorganized lot does not enjoy any job security. Hire and fire is the order of the day. Already the teachers and hospital staff are not under the preview of Industrial Disputes Act – 1947. They cannot approach any labour tribunal for relief if they are treated badly or even if they are sent out of jobs. If theses changes are made, it is certain that the job security will soon vanish even for the organized labour.
Consequences of Globalization:
The various consequences are suicides; drug abuse, trafficking, violence, terrorism, migration, social exclusion, forced flesh trade, Insecurity, communalistic politics, New Consumerism, fundamentalism, displacement, reduction in female population ( for instance 1000:880 in Salem, Dharmapuri), brain drain, food insecurity, money devaluation, unemployment, under employment, cheap labour, swindling by non-banking finance companies, total dependency, breaking down of families human values and joint families, cut throat competitions, corruption. Sometimes working people are not even aware that our humanity is emptied by Multi National Corporations. They are like parasites and leaches silently squeezing the blood of working people. (For instance the Bhopal Gas tragedy where lakhs of people are affected but no worthwhile compensation is paid so far).
Just work for all – a possibility?.
While we adhere to just work we have to think of just wage that ensures a fair wage to lead a dignified life, meaning one gets food, shelter and clothing. Is this a possibility when most of the population is struggling for survival? Taking stock of the hard realties on must make a step towards achieving “Work for all” if not “Just work for all”. This can be either direct employment for oneself or indirect support to the nationals to have employment.
ALTERNATIVES:
The modernization of technology has to be minimum to the extent of increasing the productivity without job loss of people. If in case the jobless in totally unavoidable the workers have to be retrained and given employment elsewhere. In this way just labour can be ensured. It is the bounden duty of the enlightened working class to create awareness among the workers and public at large in this direction.
Protection for small and cottage industries in the levy of excise duty and taxes would help them to rejuvenate. Big industries ought to be kept out of certain mass consumption items. For instance Tata Salt has eaten away the jobs of millions of ordinary workers in salt farms.
Stringent laws are to be enacted to protect our natural flora and fauna to prevent MULTI NATIONAL Corporations making patent on them. Sustainable agriculture based on traditional farming techniques to be promoted and integrated farming is to be highlighted. Seed banks are to be created to protect the seed wealth of the community.
Creation of Technical schools in rural areas would help the rural masses to acquire technical skills. Agro based co-operative industries are to be promoted.
Organizing united action: Organizing community action and generation of awareness on the factors behind unemployment is necessary. Similarly community action is needed to fight the neo consumerism.
Boycott MNCs and imported goods: Each region in India has its own local and traditional foods and beverages, which is based on the resources available locally. They suit the people climatically. Those foods need to be promoted. The producers will get employment. The foreign food companies in Indian market shall be rejected. The fun food and junk foods like pizzas, burgers and coke shall be boycotted.
Organizing united action
Organizing community action and generation of awareness on the factors behind unemployment need to be initiated. Neo consumerism and initiating appropriate action to deal with them has to be planned out.
Abstaining from consuming MNC’s goods and imported goods
Each region in India has its own local and traditional foods and beverages, which is based on the resources available locally. They suit them climatically. Those foods need to be promoted. The producers will get employed. The foreign food companies in Indian market shall be rejected. The ‘fun foods’ and ‘Junk food’ like pizzas, burgers and cokes are to avoided
Land - redistribution
The basic measure required in this direction is implementation of land reforms. The land ceiling act, which permits only a certain acres of land for an individual, has to be implemented in its strict sense. The land reforms have helped the tillers and it has increased the food production abundantly. This in turn has increased the purchasing capacity of several lakhs of farmers who in turn go to market to purchase their minimum needs. This creates demand for products, which in turn enhances the job opportunities for millions of people.
The surplus lands are to be distributed to the landless labour. Co-operative agricultural farms are to be created. That would help a large number of masses in the rural area. A radical program of land – redistribution to make available considerably more land to the poor particularly to the tillers who have the significant potential to increase food production at low cost. The surplus lands, government lands and temple lands can be fought back and given to tillers.
Water conservation:
Water conservation and giving adequate share of water to poor peasants will essentially promote agricultural activities. In fact the water needs of the smallest peasants should get priority attention. This will increase employment. A system of water conservation can be adopted which will involve conservation of natural resources and the efficient use of rain, surface and ground water.
Food first approach:
While deciding crop priorities it is important to promote a ‘food first’ approach cropping pattern. Any village community should give first priority to meeting local food needs and cash crops should be grown only on the remaining land.
Alternative enterprises:
Communities should be helped to promote alternative enterprises so as not to be dependent on agriculture. Examples of such are horticulture, fisheries, forestry, livestock rearing, weaving, craft making etc.
Food – for – work:
Effective utilization of these schemes have proved t be very successful in many places. The local churches can adopt this scheme and provide employment.
Effective management of local resources:
The common property resources can be adequately allocated among the deserving. The Gram Sabas can play an effective role in this regard.
Adopting employment Assurance Scheme (EAS)
The Employment Assurance Scheme of Maharashtra shall be adopted at every church level.
Promoting of community farming and cooperatives at parish level:
Local markets at parish levels can be created for locally produced goods through community farming. Church level co-operatives will be very effective and beneficial to the members.
Promotion of rural industries:
The Chinese technology has transcended the frontiers. The rural technology of Japan is a well-known fact. In Kerala many households are engaged in assembling voltage stabilizers. By adopting theses experiences rural industries for various products like candles, incense sticks, electronics etc. can be promoted whereby thousands can find employment. These industries shall be made as an alternative for commercialized tidal parks.
Service Centers:
The concept of service center is to utilize the community skills for the community. After a survey and registration of skilled persons in your locality, be it any skill from teaching to electronic repairs, plumbing, mason etc- announce the community to approach a particular telephone number for any need. This would help community economically. . The diploma holders, technicians etc. will find employment through this center.
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Cooperative Sectors:
Industrial Co Operatives- these kind of co operatives are based on single or group professions like for instance carpenters’ co operatives, plumbers’ cooperatives etc. The advantage is that the District Collector can give the Govt tenders to these cooperatives without calling for tenders.
Consumer cooperatives – these kind of cooperatives are fast moving as they can procure anything consumables from food grains to durable goods like suitcases, televisions, etc The advantage is that the products can be procured at the factory rates thereby avoiding the fat profits of the middlemen in trade
Tuition Centers:
There are a number of choices for educated unemployed graduates. The tuition centers are a great source – for regular school/college students, for special coaching, preparatory coaching for competitive exams, counseling for higher studies and job. A school nearby would be handy. After inviting a letter of intent from prospective teachers for two hours 4 pm to 6 pm, schools can be approached for nominal rent.
Consultancy Services:
In the fast world of today people have no time to go and find many things for instance the various concessions granted to the passengers in the Indian railways or the various welfare measures offered by the State/Central government’s or the scholarships offered by the State/Central government’s /private trusts/charities. In such case, a consultancy center would meet needs and a nominal fee can be collected which the users would be too willing to give.
Community Finance:
To eliminate the usury community finance can be an alternative. Close-knit groups can contribute some subscription every month and on the basis small loans on personal security can be given to the members for a very nominal rate of interest.
Networking Sharing:
Some commodities are sold very cheap rate in some areas and these are sold for very high price. Persons from areas where these are sold for cheap rates can purchase and the same can be sold in areas where these would fetch a nominal profit.
Self Help Groups:
These are primarily meant for women in lower income groups. They can save some money, which would serve as seed capital for small works. Now the State Governments are concentrating on the model.
Cottage or Small Industries:
Traditional industries have still hold some market in small or local markets. Such items can be identified and developed.
Institutions Based Works:
Church has vast number of schools, institutions which not only have regular employment potential but also contractual works – plumbing, tailoring, supply of note and text books, small civil and building works, cleaning, white and color washing, carpentry, etc. With the active involvement of the bishops and priests and religious these can be tried out.
Cooperative Farms:
Wasteland development program is in the offing. Any co-operative society, individual or corporate body can involve in this scheme.
Boycott the Seeds of Multi National Companies: The MNC seeds are genetically improved and they destroy the other natural seeds. They also affect the fertility of the soil. The local community is to preserve the seeds in every village and use it in the next year. They will not buy any seeds from foreign companies. The peasantry in Bangladesh follows this.
‘Work for all’ is a concept which does not have a ready answer. The country is falling a prey to the neo colonization. The people are going to face harsher reality unless immediate intervention is made. They need to join hands in driving the dragon out of the nation and to uphold the sovereignty of the state.
Joining hands with the masses and taking action is very important. To execute these projects a strong political will is required. In the absence of such a will, it is for the communities to explore the ways and means through powerful people’s movements.
SIGNS OF HOPE:
Every dark cloud has a silver lining it is said. Likewise the onslaught of the G 8 countries has not been unchallenged. People all over the world be it developed and developing – are protesting against the plunder and pillage of the MNCs.
The concerned people in G – 8 countries are also protesting for equality and voicing their protest fighting against globalization. In Italy, energy is scarce and they are fighting to make energy a fundamental right. Three lakhs of people gathered in Geneva, Switzerland to voice their protest against Globalization.
Mexico and Argentina are fighting against globalization. In Oct 2001, 6000 women organizations protested. Women are the worst hit. She bears the brunt of the effect of globalization.
CONTRIBUTORS
Rev. Fr. R.V. Mathias, Vicar General, Diocese of Trichchirappalli, now in Bangalore Executive Secretary of Laity Commission working for 30 years for the well being of the working class, to bring them out of the boundaries.
Mr. C.P. Krishnan, General Secretary, DENA Bank Employees Union and Secretary Bank Employees Federation of India, Tamil Nadu He is associated with nine major Unions. Lakhs of workers join together for various causes.
Mrs. Radhai, State Committee Member All India Democratic Women’s Association
Mr. Angelis – Human Rights Lawyer based in Chennai, working with Non Governmental Organizations and voluntary organizations, Movements of fishermen, unorganized sector, Quarry workers and CWM India.
Mr. T.X Gnanaraj – Social Activist and employed with Ministry of Railways. He has been working with youth and Non Governmental Organizations. Actively involved with Dalit issues and YCW and other organizations within and outside the church
Mrs. Monica, International Vice President, WMCW – Pune an Ex-Bank employee on VRS.
Mr. V. Pankiraj working as a Regional Coordinator for South Asian Regional Solidarity
Mr. Deepam – a social activist, an ex YCW office bearer and Bank employee
Mr. Amaladas, Former Head master of a Diocesan School and presently President of CWM India.
Rev. Fr. B. Antony, National Chaplain CWM India, Port Chaplain of the Port of Chennai
