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Workplace Culture & Status of Women Construction Labourers: A Case Study in Kolkata, West Bengal
Workplace Culture & Status of Women Construction Labourers: A Case Study in Kolkata, West Bengal
Workplace Culture & Status of Women Construction Labourers: A Case Study in Kolkata, West Bengal
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Article History: The construction sector has the largest number of unorganized labourers in India
Received on: next only to the agricultural sector, and women form almost half the workforce as
13 April 2012
Accepted in revised form on: unskilled labourers with no occupational mobility. Often they face serious
9 September 2012 problems/constraints related to work, viz., lack of continuity, insecurity, wage
Available online on and from: discrimination, gender and sexual harassment, unhealthy job relationship, lower
13 October 2012
wages, and poor job satisfaction. Despite these, construction industry
Keywords: overwhelmingly attracts female workers. Poverty being the main cause, the worst
Construction Sector affected are the single and the derelict / destitute women with children to support.
Unorganized Sector
Their husbands are often drunkards or are found to have other sexual partners
Workplace Culture
Social Ladder and find themselves in debt trap. Unlike the womenfolk, men who come in as
Legal Status small boys, assist the masons for some years as helpers and finally, graduate as
masons, some of whom later become contractors and move up the social ladder.
Hence, the female labourers require empowerment through training and skill
enhancement. The present study is an attempt to identify the issues related to
workplace culture or working environment of these numerous, poor and most
vulnerable segments of the Indian society.
Published by IJSS
200,000 million (India Infra Guru, 2008; GOI, this workforce, and recommending measures for
2008a) annually. mitigation of the problems.
However, the construction industry in
India is facing a huge shortage of manpower. The Database and Methodology
strength of skilled workforce in construction has Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal has been
dwindled substantially from 15.34% in 1995 to selected as the study area, as the construction
10.57% in 2005, whereas relative proportions of industry is growing rapidly. Workers from the
unskilled workers have gone up from 73.08% in neighbouring districts as well as from the
1995 to 82.45% in 2005 (GOI, 2008b). These neighbor states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha
construction labourers are one of the most approach this metropolis to seek job at site. The
vulnerable segments of the unorganized sector as whole study has been carried out in the following
there is no permanent job opportunity for them. three stages –
1. Pre-Field Study: includes gathering of
Gender Bias in Construction Sector
information from “West Bengal and Other
More than half of the construction workers in
Construction Workers Welfare Board”,
India are women (GOI, 2008a). They are
world-wide-web, books and from various
employed in semi-skilled / skilled jobs in other
news paper articles.
industries but in the construction industry women
2. Field Study: The primary data was
are employed mostly as unskilled labourers
obtained by conducting primary survey
(Jhabvala & Kanbur, 2002; Baruah, 2008). They
through questionnaire survey containing
clean building sites, carrying bricks, gravel,
both open and close ended questions on
mortar and water up to the skilled carpenters and
“work place culture and their social
masons, irrespective of the number of years they
status” from the several labour market
worked there. Majority views that women lack
places of the city such as- Howrah station,
skills to carry out certain tasks in construction
Howrah AC market, Behala, Pathakpara,
sector. This mindset has led to gender
Ballygunj, Dhakuriya station, Park circus
discrimination in this sector in work allocation
and Maheshtala etc. It is noticed that
and wage distribution (Suchitra and Rajshekhar,
hundreds of workers assemble at these
2006). Such anti-women attitudes and
crossings to find casual daily work. It is
discrimination further complicate the workplace
the place where work allocation and wage
culture of these women labourers. They led a very
distribution take place.
tough life and do not enjoy equality of status and
3. Post-Field Study: After the collection
social justice.
of about fifty representatives’ view, the
analysis and interpretation of information
Objectives of Study has done with the help of various
The present study aims at — identifying the major statistical techniques.
issues related to workplace culture of women
construction labourers, analyzing the major Demographic Characteristics of
health and safety issues at construction sites,
Sample Population
It is noticed that—
examining the status of these women in social
1. Out of the total respondents, most of
ladder, identifying the role of Government and
them (about 66 per cents of respondents)
other NGO’s in providing safety and security to
are muslims while rest of them are hindu
by religion.
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Indian Journal of Spatial Science Vol - 3.0 No. 2 Winter Issue (2012) pp44 - 54
2. Approximately, these representatives are It becomes evident from the survey that the
example of each and every age group but majority of these workers (about 70% of sample)
chunk of population is between 25 to 50 are forced to migrate from their villages in search
years. of work. This further led to permanent or semi-
3. Most of them are either illiterate (32%) or permanent change of residence, of this people,
having very low level of education as who are coming from the distant part of the state
shown in Fig.-1. (Murshiudabad, Hugli, Barddhaman, and Nadia
4. One peculiar feature noticed that women etc.) or from neighbor states of Bihar, Odisha and
labourers in the construction sector are at Jharkhand. Very few of them also prefer to
large scale victims of desertion by their commute daily, who live in local villages nearer to
spouse (36%) or they are widow. This has their workplace.
led to a high incidence of women headed
households in the industry which are
more poverty prone and vulnerable.
Fig. 1 Fig.2
Fig.3
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Indian Journal of Spatial Science Vol - 3.0 No. 2 Winter Issue (2012) pp44 - 54
A workplace culture can be defined as the “way of adversely affecting women’s ability to perform
life” at your worksite. Analysis reveals that their job satisfactorily, analysis also presents a
construction sector is the one, which generates stark reality of severely degraded working
employment and absorbs unskilled, semi-skilled environment, among several constraints, some
and rural labour and provide opportunities for basic issues are discussed as follows.
at site. Such workforce often can be subdivided About 80% of respondents report that they lack
into two subgroups, the one group whose major proper facility of drinking water at workplace
source of income is construction industry only; often it varies over space, or if available not so
they are the “Casual Labourforce”, while another safe at all. Access to sanitary facility is a common
group can be named as “Extreme Casual problem on a new construction site. Temporary
Labourforce”, who considers working at facilities are usually unisex, often without privacy.
construction site as an alternate source of income. Sometime there is no sanitary facility available for
Out of the total surveyed 12% of women to use. In such cases, they either use open
workforce are extreme casual workers while rests space or avoid drinking water on the job, risking
of them are casual workers. On average heat stress and other health problems (NIOSH).
employment is available for 10 —15 days in a Although various acts exist under which
month. Respondents report that wage rates vary women are entitled to maternity leave and
between Rs. 150—200 per day, often controlled by benefits, out of the total respondents no one is
availability of work and overtime. For the sub- getting any such benefits. Thekedar or builders
question on “Average daily working hours” most are supposed to provide a crèche at every site
of them answered that they generally have to work where women are employed but again these are
up to 8 hours, in peak season they were required breached and women are in no position to
to work for longer. It is generally believed that on demand these rights. Lactating women find it
construction sites both women and men age early extremely hard to care for babies while doing a
because of the hard work and rough working full day work. They frequently hide from
Women also suffer the consequences of women are forced to leave babies and toddlers
repeated child-bearing and rearing, making them uncared for on the ground floors of building while
weak and unable to work for too many years. But they climb up multiple floors of high-rises,
study says that about 42 per cents and 22 per balancing bricks or mortar on their heads.
opportunity of work to these old labourers Study reveals that there is a vast discrimination
decreases overtime as employer prefer younger faced by these women construction labourers,
women as they are more agile and able to work which become starker on the salary day. Apart 92
harder. No doubt there are some primary per cents of respondents report that they are
employment, safety and health hazards faced by cheated by their contractors on the salary day and
all construction workers, but the prevalence of delaying in payment has just become the part and
sex-discrimination and anti-women attitudes at parcel of their job work. They are also facing
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Indian Journal of Spatial Science Vol - 3.0 No. 2 Winter Issue (2012) pp44 - 54
wage-differentials from their female co-workers “thekedars and employer usually prefer to employ
as reported. younger women whom they may exploit sexually”.
An extremity of demands of thekedars
(c) Hostile Workplace: (contractors) can be estimated from the statement
Study reveals that about 90 per cents of these of the “Debi Sardar” (a 45 year old labour
women construction labourers consider their job surveyed at Dhakuriya), in which she accepted
as a hazardous occupation, as there is some that to get employment, she forced some another
serious health and safety problems prevails poor young girls to please contractors; as in turn
unique to female construction workers only. contractors has promised her to provide regular
According to them the small numbers of women employment opportunity and 20 per cents of
construction workers on construction worksites extra commission on her wage for next whole
foster an environment in which these safety and year. Some reports that they are exploited by
health problems arise or continue. thekedars both sexually as well as economically,
many time such situation force them to leave the
(d) Sexual Harassment at Work Place: job. They are also reluctant to report about such
Sexual harassment is a serious problem for female safety problems, lest they can be tagged as a
construction workers. 74 per cents of respondents complainer, straining further their workplace
reported Sexual Harassment at work place. Study relationship and destroying their employment
also reveals that insecure nature of employment, situation. Only about 18.92 per cents of the
particularly for women, creates a vicious trap in respondents reported about sexual harassment to
which women are forced to please a sub- their higher authority and unfortunately most of
contractor in order to get work. “Abeda Bibi” them (about 60 per cents of respondents) received
(surveyed at Behala-Pathakpara) said that, negative reaction.
Fig. 4
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Indian Journal of Spatial Science Vol - 3.0 No. 2 Winter Issue (2012) pp44 - 54
Fig. 5
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Indian Journal of Spatial Science Vol - 3.0 No. 2 Winter Issue (2012) pp44 - 54
only to agricultural sector. On the question why documentary proof of their identity, they
despite, such a hostile workplace, a large number are denied to access basic facilities for
of womenfolk take job at site? About 46% of poor provided by government.
respondents report that they do not have any ii. They built houses for others but have no
other option, as they are widow or abandoned by houses of their own. About 84% of
their husband, or if husband is there, he is either respondents report that they live in
drunkard or unemployed, therefore to meet the rented houses, often in slums, lack
dire needs of family and to support children they almost all basic amenities of sewerage,
have to take job at site. Another group is forced by water supply and sanitation.
poverty while few are working to improve their iii. About 54% of respondents report about
economic status or helping other existing irregular dietary habits, such ill-habits
members of family in construction industry. It is further pave the way to harmful
largely noticed that in one hand where this addictions of bidi smoking, paan chewing
womenfolk lack any particular skill, one another and tobacco consumption etc.
they are forced to work in such a situation iv. Apart from working a full day it is a
construction sector is the only industry which woman who is entirely responsible for
generates employment and absorbs unskilled, buying provision, cooking food and
semiskilled and rural labourforce. caring for children. Men rarely help with
any form of house-work or childcare.
Status of the Women in Society v. These women are playing dual role,
“Social ladder” is defined as the hierarchical working at site and managing their home.
structure of a society also known as social scale. Somewhere between, they fall prey to
Powerless people always try to have control over domestic violence and daily humiliation
their lives by empowering themselves so that they as an essential part of having a family.
can be move up in social ladder and can enjoy The married women are the worst
better life opportunities. But these women sufferer.
construction labourers denied any such
promotional opportunities in their lives. At each They usually spend most of their earning on the
phase of their life they live the same life. The household to meet the dire needs of their children
analysis of their social life reveals that- and family, and a very few amount on working
i. The majorities of them migrate class fashion such as tobacco, bidi and other
temporarily in search of a job and often forms of entertainment. Only 34% of respondents
become displaced. Years later, they still report that they keep aside small fraction of their
Forced by Poverty 40
To fulfil the dire needs of their family as she is Widow/Abandoned by 46
husband
Many family members in this job 10
Own Choice to improve their Economic Status 04
Source: Questionnaire Survey, 2011-12
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Indian Journal of Spatial Science Vol - 3.0 No. 2 Winter Issue (2012) pp44 - 54
Fig. 6
43
Fig. 7
Legal Status
Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 and Equal
By the 1980s, some 25 laws governed the status of
Remuneration Act, 1976. In October 2005, the
workers in the construction industry, ranging
Labour Department, Government of West Bengal
from the Inter State Migrant Workers Act to the
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Indian Journal of Spatial Science Vol - 3.0 No. 2 Winter Issue (2012) pp44 - 54
has established the “West Bengal Building and workers are mainly uneducated and have neither
Other Construction Workers Welfare Board” birth certificate nor school certificates. The option
(Regulation of Employment and Condition of according to the rules is certification by a
Service Act) to provide safety, health and welfare government doctor not below the rank of an
measures to these construction workers. It assistant surgeon in a government hospital. It is
includes various schemes for example assistance also difficult for them to obtain such certification.
to a beneficiary in case of Accidents, Payment of The lack of ration cards mean that they lose out
Death Benefit, Pension Benefit, Medical on all the benefits available through various
Expenses, Maternity Benefit, and Financial government schemes and they are forced to live in
Assistance for Education of their Children etc. insecure, inhumane conditions because of the lack
However these Welfare Board Claims that number of housing, steps should be taken to solve such
of beneficiaries increased from 271,870 to problems.
466,744 from 31.03.2011 to 31.01.2012.But still There must be facilities available for
out of total respondents none of them is aware workers to sell their labour power. Hundreds of
about any such schemes. workers assemble at road crossings or at stations
to find casual daily work. Traffic policemen or
What do Women Want? RPF often force them to move off. There is no
In reply to questionnaires where they were asked drinking water available at these sites and no
what they wanted from the government and toilets either. In summer the situation is horrible
society, women construction workers said that — as there is no shade and nowhere to sit. It is
1. They want the society and government to suggested therefore that places where workers
ensure regular decent work more safely and gather in search of employment should be notified
2. “Women friendly environment” at worksite is seating, drinking water and toilets should be
very much necessary so they can work more provided at these places by the state government.
3. They need relief from the exploitation of provide a crèche, separate toilets for women and
thekedars (both physically and economically). proper facility of drinking water where women are
4. The lack of ration cards means that they lose employed. OSHA in 1998 reported that “Sexual
out on all the benefits available through Harassment” is when submission to, such conduct
various government schemes, hence easy is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or
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Indian Journal of Spatial Science Vol - 3.0 No. 2 Winter Issue (2012) pp39 - 49
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Indian Journal of Spatial Science Vol - 3.0 No. 2 Winter Issue (2012) pp44 - 54
Anu Rai
University Research Scholar, Dept of Geography, University of Kalyani, Nadia
Email: rai.anu405@gmail.com
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