‘The output of a cotton mill or a coal mine is considered of greater importance than the production of healthy, happy-hearted and free human beings. We, the people, are not free. Our democracy is but a name.’
~ Helen Keller
Whenever one gets to hear the word ‘exploitation’, the thing which comes to the mind is the exploitation of workers happening every now and then. The recent Covid-19 pandemic has shed light on the plight of migrant workers and the inhumane working conditions. With sky rocketing costs of living and little pay, the condition of workers has become precarious. The back breaking works, eroding wages, irregular working hours, no job security, everyday abuses have affected the workers physically, mentally, and emotionally.
The desire of the producers to lower down the costs of production and increase the profit margins(due to globalization and increasing competition) has accelerated the demand for cheap labour, favouring needs of employers instead of workers. Because of poverty, migration, strain associated with unemployment, fear of losing wages and expulsion, these workers are left with no other choice than to accept it without any resistance.
The contemporary world is brimming with examples of industries where worker exploitation takes place. One such industry is the extractive industry i.e. mining. Be it the extraction of mica (for cosmetics, paints, smartphones),coal, cobalt(for portable electronic devices and rechargeable batteries), diamond, gold(for jewellery), the mining industry is the backbone of other successfully operating industries. However, it has been found that most of the mining industries(operating in countries like South Africa, Pakistan, India) do not comply with worker laws and exploit the poor mine workers to the fullest.
The exploitation faced by mine workers is two fold- labor related and health related. Despite working continuously for 12-18 hours, they are underpaid and do not get proper overtime. Apart from the arduous work, these workers face violence and discrimination. It includes beating, kicking, insulting, getting fired from job and other human rights abuses.
As mining is considered a blue collared job, the workers here are mostly uneducated who are employed indirectly through subcontracting firms. This in turn leads to labor trafficking, forced labor, holding of pay, setting up of false standards etc. Extracting resources from earth invites many health risks. The inhalation of dust and toxins at the mining site causes suffocation and lung diseases.
They have to work in extreme heat, sleep near mines, do not have access to basic facilities like running water. Also, the noisy machinery used in mines causes hearing loss. Rock falls, explosions, mobile equipment accidents, fires, or electrocution often occur while miners are working on site (Donoghue 2004).However, despite these problems, they are not provided with proper health and safety standards (like ventilation, protective equipments, medical intervention) pointing towards never ending cycle of abuse in the shadowy world of mines.
Seeing the shimmering end products, one forgets the little hands which extract the raw materials for the same from mines. As per ILO, around one million children are working in mines throughout the world. UNICEF has also estimated that nearly 20% of mine workers are children. It paints a gloomy picture of the exploitation of children in mines. Working in mines is harmful for their health, safety and future.
Because of their submissive behavior, ability to pick and handle tiny objects, most of the children could be found working with bare hands in Artisanal and small-scale mines (ASM). Apart from the health risks involved, they have to undergo physical abuse and slavery. According to US Department of Labor‘s report on Worst Forms of Child Labour, Young girls are also vulnerable to commercial sexual exploitation around mica mining sites. However, the companies could be seen turning a blind eye towards all these injustices faced by the workers, be it children or adults.
The cries of the workers need to be heard as they form an indispensable part of our society. The need of the hour is to create a sustainable, safe and healthy working environment that is inclusive, environment friendly and free from human rights violations. According to the ILO Forced Labour Protocol of 2014, the states should take steps to prevent forced labor. It involves ensuring the application of labor law to all workers in all sectors, strengthening labor inspection, preventing abuses in recruitment. Government should adopt stringent measures against companies violating worker laws.
Companies and consumers need to rethink about the choices they make. Companies should be responsible enough to find out from where the materials are sourced and how these are sourced so as to lessen the atrocities. The heart wrenching condition of workers in the contemporary world could only be changed with concerted efforts from government, corporates, activists and NGOs.