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Labour Contractors and Global Production Networks: The Case of India's Auto Supply Chain

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  • Tom Barnes
  • Krishna Shekhar Lal Das
  • Surendra Pratap

Abstract

Research on labour in global production networks has raised serious questions about the role played by labour contractors. This article uses a case study of automotive components production in north India to show how labour contractors assist firms to adapt to the rigours of competition in supply chains. We demonstrate that a regional contract labour system has enabled employers to keep wages low, increase firm flexibility, offload the burden of monitoring and controlling workers and undermine collective bargaining and trade union rights. These problems further expose serious weaknesses in the implementation and enforcement of labour laws in India.

Suggested Citation

  • Tom Barnes & Krishna Shekhar Lal Das & Surendra Pratap, 2015. "Labour Contractors and Global Production Networks: The Case of India's Auto Supply Chain," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(4), pages 355-369, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:51:y:2014:i:4:p:355-369
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2014.983908
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    Cited by:

    1. Heslop, Luke & Jeffery, Laura, 2020. "Roadwork: expertise at work building roads in the Maldives," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103969, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Krzywdzinski, Martin & Lechowski, Grzegorz & Jürgens, Ulrich, 2018. "L’inéluctable évolution des modèles productifs chez les constructeurs automobiles chinois et indiens," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 12, pages 1-20.
    3. Tom Barnes, 2017. "Industry policy in Asia’s demographic giants: China, India and Indonesia compared," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 28(2), pages 218-233, June.
    4. Diti Goswami & Sourabh Bikas Paul, 2020. "Labor Reforms in Rajasthan: A boon or a bane?," Papers 2012.01016, arXiv.org.

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