OCCUPATIONAL WAGE SURVEY SIXTH ROUND 2008

REPORT ON TEXTILE  INDUSTRY 

CHAPTER - II

STRUCTURE OF WORK FORCE

2.1    INTRODUCTION

     Composition of the work force in an industry varies widely with the nature of its activity, geographical location, operations involved, level of technology available, social and economic conditions of the people and last not the least by the Government policies, etc.  Variations in these factors account for the change in the composition of the work force not only from one sector to another but also from region to region within the sector.  The legislative policies of the Government also influence the composition of working force.

2.2    DISTRIBUTION OF WORK-FORCE BY SEX AND AGE

     The composition of workforce by the sex & age has been presented in Table 2.1. As per the results of the survey the total work force in all the five textile industries has been estimated to be about 7.82 lakh.  Of the total employment a  majority of workers i.e. 55.38 per cent were employed in Cotton Textiles, followed by 21.32 per cent in Jute Textiles, 17.50 per cent in Synthetic Textiles, 3.23 per cent in Woollen Textiles and 2.57 per cent in Silk Textiles.  Men workers constituted 88.37 per cent of the total work force, whereas the remaining 11.63 per cent were women.  None of the five  textiles industries reported employment of adolescents or children during the survey.

     Among different textiles industries, the highest proportion of men workers i.e. 99.04 per cent was in Jute Textiles industry  and the lowest i.e. 80.69 per cent was reported in Cotton Textiles industry.  The proportion of women workers was also the  highest i.e. 19.31 per cent in Cotton Textiles industry, followed by 3.43 per cent in Synthetic Textiles industry, 3.20 per cent in Silk Textiles industry, 1.40 per cent in Woollen Textiles industry and 0.96 per cent in Jute Textiles industry.

2.3    DISTRIBUTION OF WORK-FORCE BY SYSTEM OF WAGE PAYAMENT

     The distribution of workers as per the system of wage payment is shown in Table 2.2.  Taking the entire textiles industries as a whole, vast majority of workers i.e. 79.80 per cent were employed by the time-rate system of wage payment basis and the remaining 20.20 per cent by the piece-rate system of wage payment basis.  At the industry level, the highest proportion of time-rated workers was reported at 99.19 per cent in Woollen Textiles industry, whereas the lowest was at 22.15 per cent in Jute Textiles industry.  At the stratum level, the highest proportion of time-rated workers was reported at 99.96 per cent

in Maharashtra of Cotton Textiles industry whereas the lowest proportion of time-rated workers being 6.28 per cent was in West Bengal of Jute Textiles industry. The highest proportion of piece-rated workers was reported at 77.85 per cent in Jute Textiles Industry whereas the lowest was at 0.81 per cent in Woollen Textiles Industry.  Within Jute Textiles, all the workers in Kerala stratum were reported to be employed on piece-rated system.  Kerala State also reported employment of 98.25 per cent of the total workers in Cotton Textiles Industry employed on piece rated system.

2.4    DISTRIBUTION OF TIME-RATED WORKERS BY SEX AND AGE

     Table 2.3 depicts the distribution of time-rated workers by sex and age.  The table reveals that a vast majority of time-rated workers were men in all the five textile industries i.e. 98.80 per cent in Jute Textiles, 98.65 per cent in Woollen Textiles, 97.05 per cent in Silk Textiles, 96.62 per cent in Synthetic Textiles and 82.57 per cent in Cotton Textiles.  The proportion of time-rated women workers was reported the  highest at 17.43 per cent in Cotton Textiles industry, followed by 3.38 per cent in Synthetic Textiles industry and the lowest being 1.20 per cent was in Jute Textiles industry.  At the stratum level, the highest proportion of time-rated women workers was reported at 58.62 per cent in Tamil Nadu of Jute Textiles industry.

2.5  DISTRIBUTION OF PIECE-RATED WORKERS BY SEX AND AGE

Table 2.4 presents the distribution of piece-rated workers by sex and age.  The table reveals that piece-rated system was prevalent in all the five textile industries.  The percentage of piece-rated male workers was 99.10 per cent in Jute Textiles industry, 95.31 per cent in Silk Textiles industry, 94.93 per cent in Synthetic Textiles industry, 92.65 per cent in Woollen Textiles industry and 43.32 per cent in Cotton Textiles industry.  Further, it has been reported that all piece-rated workers employed in Rajasthan and Maharashtra strata of Cotton Textiles industry, Punjab and Haryana strata of Woollen Textiles industry and Maharashtra stratum of Silk Textiles industry were men. All the piece-rated workers in the Rajasthan stratum of Woollen Textiles industry were women. The proportion of piece-rated women workers was the  highest at 56.68 per cent in Cotton Textiles industry and the lowest at 0.90 per cent in Jute Textiles industry.

2.6    WORK-FORCE IN MAJOR OCCUPATIONS

     The distribution of workers by occupations in which two per cent or more of the work force was employed in each of the five textile industries is shown in Table 2.5.  For all occupations combined, this Table covers 72.99 per cent of the work-force in all  the  five  textile  industries  taken together.  Taking  all

textile industries together the highest percentage of work-force i.e. 10.74 per cent was employed as 'Winder', followed by 8.11 per cent employed as 'Helper'. Spinners constituted 4.81 per cent of the total work force employed in five Textiles Industries and the proportion of Weavers, all categories together was 8.78 per cent.  The table revealed that in Cotton Textiles industry, 16.22 per cent of the total workers were 'Winder', followed by 'Spinner' and 'Helper' occupations with 8.00 per cent and 7.40 per cent share in the work-force respectively.  In Woollen Textiles industry, 'Rag Cutting Machine Operator' and 'Picker/Ring Spinner' occupations accounted for 16.54 per cent  and 10.11 per cent of the total employment, respectively.  In Silk Textiles industry 'Helper' occupation reported the highest proportion of workers i.e. 21.08 per cent, followed by the 'Winder' with 14.93 per cent of the workers.  In Synthetic Textiles industry, 'Helper' occupation reported the highest proportion of workers i.e. 18.30 per cent, followed by the 'Winder' with 6.31 per cent of the workers.  In case of Jute Textiles industry, the highest proportion of workers was engaged in 'S.H. Loom Weaver' occupation with 22.80 per cent of the workers, followed by 'Sacking Weft Spinner' with 11.00 per cent and 'Head Mistry' with 6.66 per cent of the total employment.

2.7    TRENDS IN COMPOSITION OF WORK-FORCE BY SEX AND AGE AND

SYSTEM OF WAGE PAYAMENT

     The trend in composition of the work-force by sex and age and system of wage payment is presented in Table 2.6.  The overall employment has recorded a decreasing trend in all the textile industries, except the Silk Textiles industry where it has substantially increased in the current round compared to previous round.  The proportion of men workers has shown an increasing trend for Woollen Textiles, Silk Textiles and Jute Textiles industries, whereas a decline in the proportion of men workers has been reported in Cotton Textiles and Synthetic Textiles industries.  However, the percentage of women workers has shown a decreasing trend in Woollen, Silk and Jute Textiles  industries and increasing trend in Cotton and Synthetic Textiles industries.  The proportion of time-rated workers has increased significantly in     all the textile industries except in Jute Textiles industry wherein  it has shown a substantial  decrease.  The increase in the proportion of time-rated workers was marked by corresponding decrease in the proportion of piece-rated workers and vice-versa.  

2.8  PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF WORK-FORCE BY OCCUPATION  AND  SEX AND AGE

     The percentage distribution of workers by occupations and sex and age is given in Table 2.7.  Out of total 83 occupations reported in Cotton Textiles industry, 49 occupations had reported employment of women workers.  'Reeler' occupation reported the highest percentage share i.e. 63.91 per cent of women workers in 

the occupations reporting employment of women workers.  In Woollen Textiles industry, out of 51 occupations reported, women workers were employed in only 12 occupations with all women workers in 'Sorter' occupation, 54.81 per cent in 'Reeler/Knotter' occupation and 48.91 per cent in   'Clipper/Reacher' occupation.  In Silk Textiles industry, out of 50 occupations, women workers were employed in 20 occupations with their significant number in the occupations of 'Reeler' 66.49 per cent and 'Cooker' 65.38 per cent respectively.  In Synthetic Textiles industry, out of 75 occupations reported, women workers were reported to be employed in only 25 occupations with all women workers in 'Checker' occupation and 54.24 per cent women worker in 'Reeler' occupation.  In Jute Textiles industry, out of 41 occupations reported, women workers were reported to be employed in only 12 occupations with 40.00 per cent and 19.70 per cent women workers in the occupations of 'Miscellaneous' and 'Heaming Machine Operator' respectively.

2.9    PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF WORKERS IN DIFFERENT  OCCUPTIONS BY THE SYSTEM OF WAGE PAYMENT

The percentage distribution of workers in different occupations by system of wage payment is shown in Table 2.8.  It is observed that the piece-rated workers were employed in all the five textile industries.  Piece-rated workers were reported in 25 occupations in Cotton Textiles, 7 occupations in Woollen Textiles, 15 occupations in Silk Textiles, 9 occupations in Synthetic Textiles and 19 occupations in Jute Textiles.  The remaining occupations in all the textiles industries had time-rated workers only.  In Cotton Textiles, the proportion of the piece-rated workers was the highest in 'Weaver' occupation 53.81 per cent, followed by 'Stitcher' 42.71 per cent, 'Warper' 30.01 per cent and 'Dyer/Printer' 22.63 per cent. In Woollen Textiles industry, all the workers in 'Weaver Hand Loom' occupation and 66.67 per cent workers in  'Weaver Power Loom' were reported piece-rated.  In Silk Textiles industry, the occupations with sizeable employment of piece-rated workers were 'Reacher' 100 per cent, 'Cooker' 65.38 per cent, 'Cloth Checker' 50.36 per cent, 'Reeler' 47.12 per cent and 'Jobber' 43.61 per cent. In Synthetic Textiles industry, 'Weaver Power Loom' 38.62 per cent and  'Warper-All Types' 32.71 per cent were the occupations with sizeable piece-rated workers. In Jute Textiles industry, all the workers in the  occupations of 'Finisher Receiver', 'First Drawing Receiver'. 'Sacking Wift Spinner' and 'Sectional Sirdar' were piece-rated workers and 11 other occupations in this industry reported more than 82 per cent piece-rated workers.