World Socialist informed that retrenchments and deteriorating working conditions are producing mounting discontent in Sri Lankan garment factories, where about 300,000 workers are employed, mostly women.
It is now one year since the January 2005 abolition of the previous international quota system, which gave 'developing countries' almost guaranteed shares of the world market. Since the quota system was ended at the behest of the major industrial countries-the US and EU-garment exporters have been engaged in cut-throat struggles to maintain their market shares.
As in other countries, it is the workers in the Sri Lankan clothing plants who are bearing the brunt as companies drive down labour costs to protect profits and retain markets.
The Super Light Garment Industries factory, in Jamalapura, a remote village in the Kandy district, about 140 km from Colombo, is typical. In addition to garment plants in free trade zones (FTZ), businesses have been allowed to set up factories in rural areas with the same FTZ tax concessions.
Super Light Garment Industries, which was established during the late 1980s, has enjoyed Board of Investments (BOI) concessions, such as a five-year tax holiday, duty-free imports of raw materials and capital goods, and exchange control exemptions. It is not a large factory, employing around 250 workers, with 90 machine operators and 130 helpers, mostly female.
A worker at the factory told the WSWS that harsher working conditions have been gradually imposed over the past year. Production managers were changed at least six times during 2005, and each demanded increased productivity. Now there is a new threat to cut the monthly attendance bonus of workers if targets are not fulfilled.
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