Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Bangladeshi Housewives Turning into Garment workers and Labor Activists - Challenges and Opportunities

Lorentsson, Elin LU (2013) UTVK03 20131
Sociology
Abstract
The aim of this thesis has been to analyze the nature of the employment opportunities for poor women in the ready-made garment industry in Bangladesh, and the possibilities for these female garment workers to participate as members in labor unions. Through the use of the dual labor market theory, it attempts to shed light on the underlying factors of the rapid increase of female workers, named the ‘feminization of labor', to the garment industry. When analyzing the negative and positive aspects of women’s work in the garment industry, feminist theories have been utilized.

The thesis has also discussed the organizational hinders that garment workers face when participating in labor union activities. With the help of existent literature... (More)
The aim of this thesis has been to analyze the nature of the employment opportunities for poor women in the ready-made garment industry in Bangladesh, and the possibilities for these female garment workers to participate as members in labor unions. Through the use of the dual labor market theory, it attempts to shed light on the underlying factors of the rapid increase of female workers, named the ‘feminization of labor', to the garment industry. When analyzing the negative and positive aspects of women’s work in the garment industry, feminist theories have been utilized.

The thesis has also discussed the organizational hinders that garment workers face when participating in labor union activities. With the help of existent literature and theories of unionization, I have made an interpretation of the current patterns of unionization in today’s Bangladesh. The findings point at that the conditions for female workers are mainly exploitative, with the lowest salary levels in the world. The labor unions in the garment industry are weak, due to political interference and strict organizational legislation. The forum of labor unions is male-dominated and often neglects the interests of its female members. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Lorentsson, Elin LU
supervisor
organization
course
UTVK03 20131
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
labor organizations, female workers, garment industry, Bangladesh
language
English
id
3812339
date added to LUP
2013-06-27 14:23:44
date last changed
2013-06-27 14:23:44
@misc{3812339,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this thesis has been to analyze the nature of the employment opportunities for poor women in the ready-made garment industry in Bangladesh, and the possibilities for these female garment workers to participate as members in labor unions. Through the use of the dual labor market theory, it attempts to shed light on the underlying factors of the rapid increase of female workers, named the ‘feminization of labor', to the garment industry. When analyzing the negative and positive aspects of women’s work in the garment industry, feminist theories have been utilized.

The thesis has also discussed the organizational hinders that garment workers face when participating in labor union activities. With the help of existent literature and theories of unionization, I have made an interpretation of the current patterns of unionization in today’s Bangladesh. The findings point at that the conditions for female workers are mainly exploitative, with the lowest salary levels in the world. The labor unions in the garment industry are weak, due to political interference and strict organizational legislation. The forum of labor unions is male-dominated and often neglects the interests of its female members.}},
  author       = {{Lorentsson, Elin}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Bangladeshi Housewives Turning into Garment workers and Labor Activists - Challenges and Opportunities}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}