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Worksheet: Fair Trade stories
Here five different people involved in the garment industry talk
about their experiences:
1. Suresh works as a weaver at home in India
"I work as a hand-loom weaver. There is no other work in
this area. I start work at 6 in the morning and finish at 9 at night.
I get asthma from the dust which comes from the yarn as I weave.
I have other health problems because I am sitting down all day.
I sell my cloth to a middleman who sells it on to someone else.
I know that I get paid a very low price, but I don't know who else
to sell my cloth to. My family helps with the work by spinning the
cotton and threading the loom with me."
2. Mira works in a factory in India
"I work in a large factory in west India which makes cloth
to sell abroad. The pay is good and the women earn the same as men.
I work from 7 am to 3.30 pm, with a half hour lunch break and two
tea breaks. The work is very noisy, but at least there is plenty
of light and air. I get 15 days' paid holiday a year and if I have
to work on a festival day I am paid extra. If I am sick I do not
lose wages. If I have a baby I will get paid while I take some time
off work."
3. Shanti works in a factory in India
"I work in a big factory which makes clothes for export
to Britain. I get up at 5 am and do the chores like collecting water,
cooking and cleaning before I leave for work. We work from 9 am
to 5 pm. During the day we have two short tea breaks and half an
hour for lunch. The factory is quite dark and it gets very hot with
all the machines. If there is a big order of clothes from Britain,
we have to work extra hours. Quite often we work through the night
and then the next day. If we refuse, we may lose our job. During
these long sessions we are half asleep and accidents can happen
when people are tired. When I had my baby I did not get any time
off or money. I had to come back straight away. My daughter who
is 14 looked after my baby."
4. Chandra works for a small weaving association in India
"A few years ago I joined some other weavers who sell their
cloth to a Fair Trade organisation. We get paid a fair price for
what we make. It is hard work but I do not have to travel far to
work. Besides, I know that the cloth I weave will be bought. This
provides me with job security which is important in my family. My
husband works as a farm labourer. He has plenty of work during the
harvesting season, but at other times he has no work. If it was
not for what I earn, we would not be able to feed our four children.
With my wages, I can pay for my children to go to school."
5. Karen works at home in the UK sewing collars
"I work at home in Manchester sewing collars for a big
firm. I started this work because we needed the money and I could
look after the children and work at the same time. I get paid by
the number of collars that I make. I work from 7 am to 9 pm to finish
enough. Sometimes my pay is late. I work about 36 hours a week and
get paid about £46 per week. If I am ill I can't sew so I don't
get paid. The mess from the work is a problem. The dust in the air
gives me a sore throat and my hands are tired all the time. When
the children are at school, I also get very lonely working on my
own all day."
Lesson plan: Ways of working
| Lesson plan: Fair Trade
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