Macro Assignment Garments

Table of content:

Abstract 2
Introduction: 3
In General history: 3
Specific history: 4
Objectives 5
Limitation 6
Methodology 7
Discussion: 8
The Quantitative discussion: 9
Male workers: 9
Female workers: 10
Qualitative Analysis : 11
Working Environment: 11
Women’s employment: 11
Provision of night work: 11
Preferred age: 12
Wages during leave period: 12
Behavior to female workers: 12
The economic condition: 13
Living standards: 13
Food habit: 13
Basic and family needs: 13
Comparative discussion: 14
Recommendations 15
Conclusion: 15
Reference: 16
APPENDIX 17



Abstract


The paper investigates the nature of the Working environment and Economic condition of the female workers in the Garment Industry of Bangladesh. We used 20 sample interviews to the garment workers (10 male and 10 female) from Azmat Garments Ltd to know the present condition of garments workers specially the female workers. For getting proper result we also used Frequency table and made quantitative and qualitative analysis. The study shows that the position of the workers is appalling. Their suffering knows no bound. It also shows that among these workers female workers condition is too much better than male. Difference comes from Salary, working status, and providing attitudes. All of the sectors we can see discrimination between male and female. As we know around, 76.04% of foreign currency is being earned by this Industry, so we should also be careful about the workers of these sectors. Appendix 1 provides the Frequency table and Appendix 2 provides the 20 sample interviews.












Introduction:


In General history:

Garments industries are the vital sector of Bangladeshi Economy. Around, 76.04% of foreign currency is being earned by the Industries. This sector have developed here rapidly because of it is a labor intensive industry, ordinary technology, cheap labor and small capital. Before liberation in 1971, in Bangladesh there was only one garments factory. IN 1971, the number rose to 8. In 1984, the number was 587. In 1998, the number stood at 2650. Now it is more than 3000. In Bangladesh garments factory are situated in Dhaka, Chittagong, Narayangong, Savar and Tongi-Gazipur. The number of currently employs 2.5 million workers through its 3000 factories. In Bangladesh 90% of production workers involve in the garments factories, which constitute about 70% of the total female employment in the country’s manufacturing sectors. In garments female rate is 90%. The numbers of woman workers are 20, 00,000 and men 5, 00,000.

  (Source: / www.bermama.com/events/n.m)

This industry is a 100% export oriented industry. Eighty percent of total export of Bangladesh is garments oriented. Mainly Bangladesh garments products are exported to USA, Canada, and European Union and Caribbean countries. Recently Bangladesh stared export to Japan, Australia and some others countries in small scale. Bangladesh exports 63 items of garments products. Raw materials of garments mainly fabrics comes from others countries.
  (source:www.bermama.com/events/n.m)

“Thought 90% of the worker engaged in garments factory because of their economic hardship, 91% of these workers received minimum wages. Their monthly income varies with occupation and overtime. On an average they earn US$ 20 to US$ 70. According to the minimum wage ordinance 1994 of Bangladesh, the minimum wages are apprentices and helpers are US$ 10 toUS$18 per month.”


It is the general situation for all. But the real condition not like that. The working Environment and economic assistance of the female worker in the garments Industry of Bangladesh are discriminatory the same like others sectors.
  (Source: export chart of BGMEA, November 2007)

Specific history:

The RMG industry started developing in Bangladesh primarily as an export-oriented industry since the late 1970s, although the domestic market for RMG has been increasing fast due to increase in personal disposable income and change in the life style. In this sequence Azmat Garments Ltd started its operation in Bangladesh in 1978. But now it is one of the largest garments factories in our county, with their accumulated investment in GDP 260 core up to December 2007. They have five brunches in this country. We went to visit the branch of Azmat Garments in Mirpur. In this brunch they have 4000 workers in their factory. Among them 2500 are female and 1500 are male. Thought a hues number of female workers involved in this largest factory, they are not get their proper working environment and economic assistance from that company.










Objectives

As a garment industry Azmat Garments Ltd has some visionary objectives which are mentioning below:


 To improve and effective implementation a better professional relationship among Buyer, employees and management.
 To provide best quality, highest performance, procedure bound production, systematic work style, strive for excellence, timelines etc.
 To reduce the production cost and maintain the quality product.
 To play a vital role in socio-economic development of Bangladesh.
 To export a huge number of products.
 Long-run employment prospects for women in the industries.
 Long-term impact of garment workers’ poor health.
 Reduce the violence against female workers.
 The role of support service in eliminating gender imbalances.
 Remove the child labor from their work format.
 Try to reduce the unethical issues which go against the female workers.
 Minimize risk and reach their goal.
 Increase the production level.
 Provide the extra other facilities for the workers.
 Azmat Garments Ltd has expanded their business in globally.





Limitation


From the analysis we find some limitation which influences the garments female workers in their working environment.

 Gender discrimination in male female workers
 Lack of marketing tactics and lack of proper guideline from the management
 Pay scale is too minimum for both male and female workers
 The country is deficient in creativity
 Sexual harassment of female worker in their work
 A small number of manufacturing methods
 Absence of easily on-hand middle management
 Lack of training organizations for industrial workers, supervisors and managers.
 The machinery required to assess add on a garment or increase competence are missing in most industries.
 Autocratic approach of nearly all the investors and the manager.
 Sluggish backward or forward blending procedure
 Fewer process units for textile and garment
 Time-consuming custom clearance
 Incompetent ports, entry/exit complicated and loading/unloading takes much time
 Communication gap created by incomplete knowledge of English
 Unreliable dependability regarding Delivery/QA/Product knowledge
 Subject of natural calamities.






Methodology


We calculate the data form both of the following sources:

1. Primary data(direct contact to the worker)
2. Second data (Via other employer and manager, internet.)

The analysis draws on a combination of existing surveys, empirical research and documented literature on export and non export industries in Bangladesh. Most of the data have been collected from the following surveys:


 The survey was conducted on Azmat Garments Ltd garment factories. A total of 10 female and 10 male garment employees were interviewed with the help of a structured questionnaire. In addition, employers of all the surveyed factories were intensively interviewed with a structured questionnaire.

 A sum of 10 female and 10 male workers were interviewed with a structured questionnaire. All employers of the surveyed enterprises were also interviewed.

 This survey was conducted on 20 garment workers which focus their socio-economic environment.


The analysis discusses the findings of this survey. In addition, in some cases, the study uses secondary sources of macro-level data. Along with quantitative data, qualitative data were collected from some firm- level, in-depth interviews and in-depth case studies of nine garment workers.



Discussion:

Working environment and economic condition of the Female workers in the Garments Industry of Bangladesh



Often with less than primary level education no formal education, those workers migrated from rural and urban areas in search of work and better living condition. They are pushed out of rural areas due to floods, cyclones and abject poverty. Garments factories employ them without any formal job contract. Thus they are easily hired and fired. Workers are not provided any compensation when they are laid off due to lack of shipment order. Women workers are merely as helpers and less frequently as line supervisors. Occupation determines wages and impact living condition in Dhaka. The living condition in garments workers is appalling. The workers of multi-billion dollar industry face problems in getting decent accommodation, transport, and commute security and suffer as migrant workers on a daily basis. Low wages and lack of basic needs compel workers to compromise with the problems of living in urban centers.
(Source: Nazmul Hasan, NUB, 2nd February 2008, a report on living and economic condition of garments workers)

Though we know the female workers condition are more complicated than male, but we have to tried to discuss all of these conditions (working environment & economic) of female workers in the garments broadly in the subsequent part of our report according to our investigation.





The Quantitative discussion:
The workers of garments industry have paid a lower wages rater than other industry both male and female. According to our survey we made two tables showing the wages, consumptions and savings of the garments workers. These are discussed bellow.

Gender Number Section Wages Consumption Social security Working hour
  Food
(own) housing education savings
  1 Cutting 2100 600 600 0 300 0 8
  2 Cutting 2000 500 500 0 300 0 8
  3 Sewing 2300 600 500 0 300 0 8
  4 Sewing 2500 600 600 0 200 0 8
Male 5 Packing 1700 500 400 0 100 0 8
  6 Packing 1800 400 400 0 200 0 8
  7 Helper 1500 500 300 0 0 0 8
  8 Maintenance 1900 500 300 0 200 0 8
  9 Maintenance 1800 500 400 0 100 0 8
  10 Finishing 2300 600 500 0 500 0 8
Mean 1990 530 450 0 220
STDEV 310.7339 67.49486 108.0123 0 139.8412
Table: The wages and Expenditure of the male workers.

Male workers:
The male labors from different section receive different wages. But the wages (1990 average) they get are too much weak to feel free in our economy. As a result they have a low consumption. Almost none have their own resident thus the rent take a portion of their income. When the price level goes up it becomes difficult for them to continue with their poor food habit also. They work eight hours in a day. But it has been seen good that many of them have interest in savings.



Gender Number Section Wages Consumption Social security Working hour
  food housing education savings
  1 Cutting 2000 500 500 0 100 0 8
  2 Cutting 1800 400 300 0 200 0 8
  3 Sewing 2100 500 400 0 200 0 8
  4 Sewing 2000 500 400 0 200 0 8
Female 5 Packing 1700 500 300 0 100 0 8
  6 Packing 1700 400 400 0 200 0 8
  7 Helper 1400 400 300 0 100 0 8
  8 Maintenance 1700 400 300 0 200 0 8
  9 Maintenance 1800 400 400 0 100 0 8
  10 Finishing 2200 600 500 0 300 0 8
Mean 1840 460 380 0 170 0 8
STDEV 236.6432 69.92059 78.88106 0 67.49486 0 0
Table: The wages and expenditure of female worker.

Female workers:
The female labors from different section also receive different wages. Their wages (1840 average) are weaker than the males. As a result they have a lower consumption. None have their own resident. The price level covers a big portion of their thinking. They work eight hours in a day. The female workers also tend to save.






Qualitative Analysis:

Socio-economic conditions of female garments worker is very poor in Bangladesh. They face many socio-economic problems to lead their every day life. Their suffering knows no bound. They don’t get the salary in time. This is why they fall in trouble to paid house rent, purchase their necessary product. Nobody can concern about their condition. Most of the garments along with Azmat Garments Ltd are not properly maintained the low related to leave, bonus, medical allowance, accident Insurance for the workers, healthy working environment etc. In reality the condition of female garments workers are very bad. Though there are some changes due to the labor unrest, trade union movements, and social pressure and for the pressures of developed countries consumers, till now living standard of workers is unacceptable.

Working Environment:

Women’s employment:

By contrast, women’s share of employment in negligible, only lower level work are assigning for female workers. The assembly-line nature of garment manufacturing is one of the main reasons for higher employment of women in this industry. The comparatively lower wage of female workers is another important factor encouraging large-scale women’s participation in the garment industry.

Provision of night work:

Another laws, it should be clearly mention that no women shale be required or allowed to work in any factory except between the hours of 6 a.m. and p.m. Our observation says different things, when the orders pressure is too much than women are working the whole night.
 


Preferred age:
Garments employer prefers unmarried people or separated or abandoned female workers because it is believed that currently-married women go on leave frequently due to child birth, child care or household chores. But for the male workers there was a larger decrease in the percentage of young male workers in the same period. In this case gender discrimination is occurred most.

Wages during leave period:
For the period of leave allowed to a worker according to rules, they shall be paid at a rate equal to the daily average of their total full times earnings for the days on which he actually worked during the month immediately preceding his leave. (Source: Industrial Law)
 If the casual leave is 14 days a year, then this company provides 10 days with pay. That means they provide payment by reducing some leave day. But in case of female it not occurs always. In case of maternity leave laws says that on that time female workers get 4 months with pay, but here they provide 1 week with pay after that if anyone take more days payment she not get. Sometimes they lost their job. They cover this leave by enforced the worker to do extra work either holydays or the night ship work.

Behavior to female workers:
The attitudes of the employers to the female workers are not humane tic. Most of the time, they scolded the female workers. But in case of the male worker it is not likely occur.



The economic condition:

With such lower wages how the workers of garments sector lead their life? How they face their daily needs and how much they fulfil them? What will be their future and what about their future generation? The entire question comes up under their economic condition. Their living standard, food habit, fulfills of basic needs and family wants and future thinking of the garments workers are being described bellow according to our survey.
Living standards:
With the lower wages on an average of 1900 or 1840 many of them under the poverty line. They lived hand to mouth. None of them we found having their own accommodation. Most of them live in a small hut with an unhygienic environment. This cause many diseases of them. The floors of their houses are found wet. Enough air and sunlight do not entire in the room. They struggle every day to live their life.

Food habit:
As the food habit depends upon the income. On their food habit they usually take vegetables, rice, dal and small fish. They take meat occasionally. Such malnutrition in food makes them weaker. Their Childs become unhealthy from the childhood.

Basic and family needs:
It is tough for them to fulfill their basic needs and the family needs. They could buy dresses once in a year again it would not for the whole family. Their Childs could hardly go for the school and thus becomes like their parents.




Comparative discussion:

The gender division means the inequality between male and female workers in the garments industry seen by us from the early period. In our country we have enough skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled human resources. This is why the labor is cheap in our country. More over the women workers we have a large amount. Because of our previous social strategy we have a large number of uneducated women who can not do any managerial work. But to live the live in our economy it is not enough to depend on one member’s earnings. Thus they got to do jobs. A large portion of our women labor force being found to do job in the garments industry. But the main point that is to be focused is the wages disparity between male and female workers.

In our country gender inequality is deeply rooted in the overall structure. Social controls at all levels deprived their subservience to patriarchal controls. Their share in consumption and control over capital and cash has always been nominated and neglected though they always have been involved in production.

According to our survey it has been found that in every section in a garments industry female workers have fewer wages than the male workers. There is a disparity between them is almost 100tk to 300tk. And for this reason their consumption has become less. More over them get the fewer leave facilities. They are strictly neglected in the labor force.








Recommendations

We can derive the recommendation after investigating all relevant issues and analyzing the findings:

1. Monthly wages of the female workers should be increased up to male workers.
2. Doing well attitude towards the female workers.
3. Occupation bonus must be paid to both of them.
4. Should provide maternity leave for the female workers.
5. They should also keep good relation with their workers.
6. Giving attention to secure the job.
7. In the office hour they should give the child care facility for the female workers.
8. They should provide cheaper canteen facility to the workers.



Conclusion:

To sum up the whole discussion it can be terminated that, like others our investigated garment Azmat Garments Ltd also not properly concern about female workers provision regarding the working and economic environment, though it is one the largest garments factory in Bangladesh. As we know that garment has the great effect on our economy and 80% of these workers are female. So without their proper care garments industry can not developed these sectors.
Because of the social pressure and for the pressures of developed countries consumers, Azmat Garments Ltd are tried to improve their situation regarding this concern.





Reference:

1. www.bermama.com/events/n.m
  2. November 2007, export chart of BGMEA.
  3. Sen Kumar Arun and Mitra Kumar Jitendra, Commercial and Industrial Law, 25th edition, the World Press Private Limited Kolkata.
  4. Nazmul Hasan, NUB, 2nd February 2008, a report on living and economic condition of garments workers.










APPENDIX






Gender Number Section Wages Consumption Social security Working hour Over time
  food housing education savings sending home
  1 Cutting 2100 600 600 0 300 600 0 8 0
  2 Cutting 2000 500 500 0 300 700 0 8 0
  3 Sewing 2300 600 500 0 300 900 0 8 0
  4 Sewing 2500 600 600 0 200 1100 0 8 0
Male 5 Packing 1700 500 400 0 100 700 0 8 0
  6 Packing 1800 400 400 0 200 800 0 8 0
  7 Helper 1500 500 300 0 0 700 0 8 0
  8 Maintenance 1900 500 300 0 200 900 0 8 0
  9 Maintenance 1800 500 400 0 100 800 0 8 0
  10 Finishing 2300 600 500 0 500 700 0 8 0
Mean 1990 530 450 0 220 790 0 8 0
STDEV 310.7338983 67.494856 108.01234 0 139.84118 144.9137675 0 0 0
Gender Number Section Wages Consumption Social security Working hour Over time
  food housing education savings sending home
  1 Cutting 2000 500 500 0 100 900 0 8 0
  2 Cutting 1800 400 300 0 200 900 0 8 0
  3 Sewing 2100 500 400 0 200 1000 0 8 0
  4 Sewing 2000 500 400 0 200 900 0 8 0
Female 5 Packing 1700 500 300 0 100 800 0 8 0
  6 Packing 1700 400 400 0 200 700 0 8 0
  7 Helper 1400 400 300 0 100 600 0 8 0
  8 Maintenance 1700 400 300 0 200 800 0 8 0
  9 Maintenance 1800 400 400 0 100 900 0 8 0
  10 Finishing 2200 600 500 0 300 800 0 8 0
Mean 1840 460 380 0 170 830 0 8 0
STDEV 236.6431913 69.92059 78.881064 0 67.494856 115.9501809 0 0 0
Table: the Wages of garments Workers Both Male And Female.