Economic inequality of the badli workers of Bangladesh: Contested entitlements and a ‘perpetually temporary’ life-world

Abstract

This article discusses the experience of economic inequality of badli workers in the state-owned jute mills of the postcolonial state of Bangladesh, and how this inequality is constituted and perpetuated. Nominally appointed to fill posts during the temporary absence of permanent workers, the reality of badli workers’ employment is very different. They define themselves as ‘a different category of workers’, with limited economic entitlements. We undertake content analysis of the badli workers’ narratives to identify elements that they themselves consider constitute these economic entitlements. We consider their perceptions of discrimination and exclusion and explain how, in response to these feelings, they construct their survival strategy. From this, through the writings of Armatya Sen, we discuss the badli workers’ contextual experience and understanding of economic inequality in relation to extant theoretical understandings, seeking to contribute to the field and to empirical studies in the subaltern context.

Alternative Work Arrangements: Two Images of the New World of Work

“…The possibility for more discrimination increases as hiring decisions are made by individuals as opposed to corporate entities with (presumably) more oversight and regulation (Edelman et al 2016). Alamgir & Cairns (2015) find that longterm temporary work perpetuates discrimination and exacerbates economic inequality among Bangladeshi mill workers. Creating a pantomime of the words precarious and proletariat, Standing (2011) refers to these workers as the precariat-a new, potentially dangerous, social class united by the sense that their labor is instrumental to their livelihood and employment is insecure.…”

Imagining new feminist futures: How feminist social movements contest the neoliberalization of feminism in an increasingly corporate‐dominated world

“…These challenges may sometimes exceed those of working with state organizations and are in need of further investigation and research. Third, while we have found examples of feminist social movements building alliances along corporate global value chains to advance their agendas, we note a growing literature revealing the challenges for women from the global South with respect to CSR (e.g., Alamgir & Cairns, ; Barrientos et al, ; McCarthy, ; Ozkazanc‐Pan, ; Tornhill, ). Further research that seeks to learn how women's NGOs from these countries engage with and challenge corporations, including through CSR, will be important in advancing an intersectional feminist research agenda.…”

“…Many studies depict the inadequacy of CSR codes of conduct for women workers in value chains (Alamgir & Cairns, ; Barrientos, Dolan, & Tallontire, ; Hale & Wills, ). This is especially the case for informal workers, who are disproportionately female and unprotected by formal employment contracts.…”

Bringing inequality back in: The economic inequality footprint of management and organizational practices

“…In line with macro-level concerns, these studies need to go beyond the 'business case' for diversity (Zanoni et al, 2010) and also consider the societal case for reducing macro-inequality. Alamgir and Cairns (2015) highlight this angle by pointing out that marginalized groups are likely to suffer more in terms of economic inequality. In their study, landlords used verbal abuse as a weapon to silence female temporary workers through social embarrassment; and ethnic and religious minorities were further deprived through lack of engagement.…”