Labour Process in Informal Sector: A Case Study of Carpet Industry

The Carpet industry is an important informal sector in Kashmir, provides employment opportunities to lakhs of people in the rural and semi-urban areas of Kashmir. The carpet industry has made a significant contribution to production, employment, and export of handicraft products and contributes to economic development. Regardless of generating growth, weavers in carpet industry continue to be locked in the unequal and exploitative labour process. The purpose of the present study is to examine the labour process in the carpet industry with specific focus on organization of production, capital accumulation and wage pattern among carpet weavers in Pulwama district of Kashmir. The present study is both primary and secondary in nature. The primary data collected from four blocks of Pulwama district through interview-schedule, focused group discussion and field observation. The key findings revealed that there is diversity in production relation, weavers are facing with a problem of middlemen/master weaver exploitation, low earning, and long working hours and piece-wage is a mode of surplus extraction for capitalists in the carpet industry.