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Summary of key issues in accessing schemes

Card/ entitlements

What should be

What is

Identity card

 

-        Registered with EPFO/ESI; very low minimum wage

Workday

 

-        8 hours shift, unpaid overtime work to fix ‘mistakes’ & meet production targets

Pay

 

-        Minimum pay not revised in more than a decade; after 10-15 years of work-ex, workers make Rs 10,000 per month

Caste profile

 

-        Mainly OBCs; very few SC/ST

Unionisation

 

-        No unions inside the factories; time poverty for unionisation.

ESI

 

-        Workers don’t get leave to visit ESI hospital (limited benefit)

PF/ Gratuity

 

-        Workers leave or shift b/w companies to withdraw gratuity/ PF

PoSH

 

-        Policy only on paper

Casual leaves

 

-        Get a weekly off, not allowed to avail casual leaves

Vulnerable targets

 

-        Pregnant women pressurised to resign

Housing

 

-        Usually not in a slum, rent ~ 50% of earnings

-        Worker hostels where provided are heavily monitored.

Children’s education

 

-        Aspire to send kids to affordable private schools (women are educated till 10th std and see pvt school edu as an escape route for kids).

Homes based work

 

-        Piece rate work is picking up now, sheds set up closer to homes of workers