The textile industry is one of the main pillars of the Mauritian economy. In order to fight unemployment, which was rampant, the government created the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in 1971. It has undergone many changes in its almost forty years of existence. Equipped with a high skilled labour force and efficient management practices, Mauritius manufactures products for Boss, Ralph Lauren, Gap, Arrow and other Western clothiers.
Migrant labour underpins industry: Mauritius’ booming textiles industry is having to depend more and more heavily on imported labour, mostly from India and China. Foreign workers in Mauritius now number some 22,000, among whom 10,850 are Chinese, 7,310 are Indians and 720 are from Madagascar. These are the men and women who make machines work in the textile industry in Mauritius. Without them, many factories would be unable to manufacture the required quantity of garments and clothing to supply European and American buyers on time.
Foreign labour was first brought to the island in 1989 at a time when Mauritians had plenty of jobs. The alien workers were only a few hundred, recruited by a few factories having difficulties in attracting local people. Since then, they have been coming in their thousands, attracted by the prospects of making and saving small fortunes before returning home after a few years of hard work.
Foreigners are paid the same wages as Mauritians–a minimum of Rs6,000 per month (about 200 euros). With overtime, they can earn much more. They have their air-tickets paid for by the employers, receive free accommodation and transportation and meal allowances. Leisure facilities are also provided.
However, life is not a bed of roses and there are reports that a great deal of confusion surrounds their working conditions and accommodation and the roles played by recruiting agents.
Workers often complain of exploitative contracts signed in ignorance and the flouting of rules in terms of work conditions.
Food can also be a major problem for migrants facing unfamiliar dishes. In many cases, local factories have imported cooks from the countries of origin of the workers in a bid to satisfy them. But, during the past few years, there have been several demonstrations by workers complaining about the food they say they are forced to eat.
The latest incident took place at a textile factory near Port-Louis, when 15 Indian workers out of the 186 employed by this factory were expelled after going on strike for a week. They were asking for better wages, working conditions and accommodation.
While some of the factories manage the problems of foreign labour very well by offering good accommodation and good food to their employees, others are blamed frequently by the authorities.
In 2000, a special unit was set up at the Labour and Employment Ministry to monitor factories employing foreign labour in a bid to prevent industrial conflicts. “Our job is to check that the contracts signed by the employees are in the languages written and spoken by the foreign workers, Hindi or Chinese for most of them, or an exact translation of the one in English,” one official at the ministry said.
A code of ethics detailing official procedures regarding recruitment, salaries, payment of overtime, medical treatment, disciplinary measures and the foreigners’ responsibilities, has also been published by the same ministry.
Mauritian factories depend heavily on these workers to supply European and US buyers with the quality and quantity they require. Labour and employment minister, Showkatally Soodhun says migrant labour is a plus point for the economy of the island.
This opinion is shared by many employers who see the Chinese and Indians as saviours of the textile industry in Mauritius. “These people hold a big advantage over the locals on the productivity front” said one employer. “They are here to work undue hours and earn money and they are always available for overtime.”
But while the government and employers are happy to welcome these migrant workers, trade-unionists argue that these people are being exploited.
Jane Raghoo of the Federation of Progressive Unions (FPU) speaks of inhuman treatment in this industry. “They get only Rs300 (10 euros) monthly as food allocation and a 10sq metre room for 10 people. They are considered as beasts of work. They work long overtime hours and have no rest,” she claims.