Despite doing hard work, Bangladeshi outbound women garment workers are being deprived of living wage in Jordan, a study shows. As a result, the study said, they are unable to send required money home for family expenditures. They also face different forms of rights violation, poor living and healthcare conditions that create adverse impacts on their psychological and mental health. In some cases, anxiety produced by these conditions reached life-threatening level like suicidal tendency, said the study conducted by Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW). The study titled “I wish I would never have to wake up again”: Material conditions and psychological well-being of Bangladeshi women garment workers in Jordan’ was carried out during the period between May 2018 and May 2019. Currently, the minimum wage for workers including migrants is Jordanian Dinar (JOD) 220 per month. But migrant workers receive JOD 125 in cash and the remaining JOD 95 is spent on covering the cost of accommodation in dormitories as well as food provided by factories.The research, however, showed that migrant women workers had to spend additional resources to meet their personal needs, including food, ranging from an amount of JOD 50-70 per month, putting a strain on their ability to make ends meet with their effective wages of JOD 125. Even with overtime pay, it is very challenging for them to send a necessary amount of money home for family expenditures, it revealed. Respondents said with overtime pay, they can earn from JOD 125 to JOD 180-200 per month. The wages were not fair, considering their hard work and social costs of migration, they added. Bangladeshi garment workers go to Jordan with jobs through Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOESL), the country’s lone state-run recruiting agency. Every year up to 9,000 female apparel workers migrate to Jordan from Bangladesh. So far, BOESL has sent 25,000 female apparel workers to Jordan. Referring to an interviewee, Nadia Afrin, researcher of the study, told the FE that many times workers even don’t have their food as they have to meet the target of production. “They also work almost non-stop. So, they face different types of health complications.” She also said as they are victimised with verbal and sexual abuse often by linemen, managers or supervisors, they get mentally distressed. Sometimes these conditions lead the women to commit suicide, Ms Afrin said. The study found that some 19 out of 29 female individuals and the majority of participants of Focus Group Discussion (FDG) were constantly stressed and anxious about reaching the production targets and being the object of verbal and physical abuse from supervisors. Out of 29 female participants, seven mentioned that they had experienced suicidal thoughts because of different kinds of abuse and work pressure. Employees of smaller factories faced additional problem of frequently having to work with expired work and residence permits, and having their passports held by the employers, the study showed. Five FGDs with a total of 75 participants and in-depth interviews with 30 workers were conducted in three Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZs)–Al Hassan, Al Tajmouat and Al Dulayl. All respondents reported that there were fewer chances for Bangladeshis to get promotion compared to the workers of other countries. Combined with threats of dismissal and being prematurely returned to Bangladesh, this reinforced a sense of being treated as a disposable commodity among this particular group of workers. One of the respondents said, “If we try to complain about anything, they tell us, “Bangladeshis are beggars, we can easily bring more.” The research showed that there are sharp gender hierarchies in Jordanian garment factories. On average, 80 per cent of all middle and top management positions are held by men. Workers face poor living conditions in the dormitories. Generally, 8-12 workers share one room and 15 workers one bathroom. There was usually a common kitchen and food corner in most of the dorms, although some small factory dorms do not provide this facility. In the study, most participants had complained about headaches, back pain, and fatigue. “I don’t want to waste my time in the toilet, so I don’t drink any water all day. It’s the only way I can meet the high targets,” another respondent said. However, their health concerns are often disregarded by employers. Bandana Pattanaik, international coordinator of GAATW, said it is easier to bring the factories under compliance as it is a formal sector. If the workers get well treatment and living wage, the production will increase in the factories. So, employers as well as workers also will be benefited, she observed. The GAATW coordinator, however, said though the owners understand that psychological health of workers is essential, it is not implemented at their workplaces. She suggested that the sending country visit working and living conditions of its workers and negotiate with the factories for ensuring standards, she opined. Despite the existence of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), numerous cases of non-compliance are there. Almost 40 per cent of all garment factories registered with ‘Better Work Jordan’ did not fully comply with Jordanian labour law, the study said. It recommended ensuring existing standards for working hours, break time, off-days and providing a living wage and reviewing the current in-kind system by the employers. Buyers should review their relationship with factories, taking into account their production processes and capacities, and improving advice systems for sustainable production to ensure that they safeguard workers’ rights. The Bangladesh government should review the current recruitment process, and develop a standard bilateral agreement which includes a zero tolerance policy on any kind of worker abuse. The Jordanian government should improve monitoring of factories’ permit and promote full freedom of association for migrant workers by ratifying ILO Convention-87. It also stressed the need for sharing positive migration experiences in media to help combat stigma and portray positive contributions of migrant women. Garments are the leading export item of Jordan, now making up nearly 20 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. The sector employs over 70,000 workers with more than two-thirds being migrant workers. Almost 75 per cent of the employees are female. Of them, 52 per cent is from Bangladesh.
