Problems Faced by Knit Ware Unit Workers in Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu - Empirical Study

Apparel has retained an important place in human life starting from historical era to today's modern world1. Apparel industry in the contemporary market is truly a global industry. Textile and apparel industries are vital parts of the world economy, providing employment to tens of millions, mostly, women workers in nearly two hundred countries. Globalization is inevitable and unavoidable under the present world economic situation. Many industries are affected positively or negatively with the globalization trend. The textile industry is no exception. It has been facing a crisis situation in the past few years. It faces a tough competition in the world market6. The global textile and clothing trade has increased by around 60 times from $ 6 billion in 1962 to $395 in the year 2003. Many workers in Tiruppur region are migrant workers from the poor rural areas of Tamilnadu, where there is not enough employment and wages are extremely low. These workers came from nearby villages and they came as a family and settled in Tiruppur. As the wages of the head of the family is not sufficient, women and children have been forced to work in the knitwear units due to poverty.