The Karnataka workforce, largely comprising of female population employees is currently engaged in a tussle with the governments at the Centre and state as well as textile unit owners over payment of wages and other facilities that they have an entitlement to.

Karnataka has 5 lakh garment workers across the state; and nearly 80 per cent of these comprising female employees. These employees working in subhuman conditions are neglected by all political parties due to pressure from influential manufacturing barons. Bangalore alone has around 1,200 factories, but the city offers no solution to problems such as low wages, gender disparity, and sexual harassment. The female garment employees have complained that none of the political parties have reached out to settle their outstanding issues.

In recent months, the Centre had also proposed to amend employee’s provident fund withdrawal rules, which intensified the employees protest and the government, had to withdraw the clause.