Labour relations

The social life of industrial disputes: Exploring workers-centred industrial relations in India’s garment labour regime

This report describes the nature of labour relations from a perspective of worker grievances in three garment production clusters of India, namely the National Capital Region, Bengaluru and Tiruppur. It establishes a connection between the evolution of regional labour regimes and the social history of industrial relations and grievances in these three clusters. The report is an important reference to understand the understand differences and commonalities of working and living conditions of garment workers across these locations.

Industrial relations are central to the world of work. The peaceful resolution of labour disputes and existence of grievance redressal mechanisms underpins decent work and sustainable development, and conversely, unresolved social tension disturbs the realisation of sustainable business and decent work. The report highlights dominant patterns of industrial relations in three garment production clusters by analysing the disputes and explores the varied trajectories through which group grievances in formal, semi-formal and informal, and collective or individual take place.