Dynamics of Wage Employment : A Case of Employment in the Garment Industry

Abstract

This paper has analysed socio-economic transformation brought about in the lives of women who migrated to the cities from rural areas to take up work in the garment industry which has opened before them an unprecedented opportunities for gainful employment. In terms of socio-economic change in women's living, the garment workers appear to have experined the most change. However, the socio-economic transformation brought about by the wage employment in the garment industry is narrowed down to a large extent by some negative implication such as exploitation in terms of low wage, irregular wage payment, job insecurity, gender discrimination in earnings etc. A regression analysis of the determinants of earning shows that the variable distinguishing the earnings of male and female is positive and significant showing that female workers earn significantly less than their male counterparts having the same education, length of service, skill etc, which are the most influential factors determining the amount of earning. Using a multivariate analysis, the paper showed that female workers' social status measured by the extent of their control on decision making and spending their own income depends on length of service, which in turn, is found to be highly correlated with level of earning, and occupational status of the workers. Social gains attained through wage employment are also substantially curtailed by the social insecurity arising from incongenial work environment, absence of safe and secured housing facilities and lack of transport facilities. Grave concern has been expressed over the negative impact of garment factory jobs on female workers' health. Finally, the paper suggested that implementation of labour laws and women's education would help women to overcome many of the disadvantages they face in the labour market.

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