In India, jobs don’t come to people. People go to jobs — some states have the supply of labour while other states the demand. The textiles industry underlines this phenomena. Workers from many eastern states of India migrate to the south to work in garment factories. However, attrition is very high, particularly among the women workforce, because the country lacks decent worker housing. The blue-collar workforce is often pushed to staying in slums. Industry body FICCI, last week, came up with suggestions for a fresh “Worker Housing Scheme for Textiles and Garment Workers”. Female employment in the garment industry, the scheme document states, is the highest in India compared to other sectors and it stands at 70 per cent of total workforce. “Migration brings its own problems like separation from families, new environment, new cities, new culture and food habits, safety and security arising out of lack of proper accommodation etc. Although many would wish to continue their jobs in metros, they soon give up and return back to their roots. It results in heavy attrition of 8 to 10 per cent per month and industry and country has to bear heavy cost by losing skilled workforce,” the document adds.
