Sri Lanka's apparel
industry comprises of a 275,000- strong workforce
- the majority being young, unmarried, migrant women.
These women are hard-working, talented and no doubt
play a significant and pivotal role in the success
of the country's apparel trade. However, given Sri
Lanka's escalating costs of living and its promotion
to a 'lower-middle income' classification, the need
to introduce a fair and decent wage that considers
their contribution to this successful industry is
of paramount importance. The situation is exacerbated
by the plethora of hidden costs which are not readily
apparent in workers' market-determined wages. The
anomaly of persistent vacancies in the Free Trade
Zones (FTZs) while simultaneously retrenching in
the districts probably is an indication that all
is not well with our wage structure. As Sri Lanka's
apparel industry attempts to don its guilt-free
label, in order to be taken seriously it must be
committed to ethical trading and labour standards.
It is in this context that ALaRM presents this case
for a sector-specific living wage for Sri Lanka's
apparel sector workers.
A living wage - described as a monthly wage that
workers and their families need for a decent standard
of living in the region(s) where they live - is
not a new concept but is increasingly regarded
to be a significant policy mechanism - crucial
for advancing the standards for garment workers
worldwide. In Sri Lanka - as in many other countries
- minimum wage legislation has proven to be increasingly
inadequate as it fails to provide sufficient income
to keep the average family above defined poverty
levels. Thus, considering a living wage that takes
into account standard levels of nutrition, housing,
hygiene, transportation, energy, health and child
care, education and savings within their regulated
working hours is tmely.
It is with this in mind that the Apparel-industry
Labour Rights Movement (ALaRM) - a coalition of
trade unions and labour NGOs advocating the rights
of Sri Lanka's apparel workers - has carried out
a systematic calculation to date of a sector-specific
living wage. Thus, in order to provide a sound,
technical basis on which future wage negotiations
and campaigns can be built upon, ALaRM reiterates
that the concept of a living wage must be brought
to the national agenda and into the dialogue between
workers, government authorities and employers.
Furthermore, in order to build a gender-sensitive
wage rate, the hidden costs incurred by women
workers must be recognised and compensated for.
ALaRM will endeavour to raise awareness and bring
to the attention of Sri Lanka's government authorities
as well as the industry's manufacturers, buyers
and workers the importance of a sector-specific
living wage and the significant role it will play
in the betterment of the workers' lives and the
long-term sustainability of the apparel sector.
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