The Invisibilization and Denial of Work in Argentinian Garment Homework

Homeworkers are a globally significant part of the informal workforce, commonly regarded as invisible because their work is not recognized (Burchielli et al., 2008; Prugl, 1999). In this qualitative study, we examine homeworker invisibility in the case of Argentinian garment homework using the concepts of work invisibilization and work denial.The work invisibilization concept (Krinsky and Simonet, 2012), referring to devalorized work resulting from the neoliberal agenda, is used to understand recent global trends away from standard work arrangements/protections. Arising from the social relations of domination, invisibilized work is precarious, with irregular/ non-existent employment contracts and relationships. Invisibilization thus provides a valuable lens for analysing homework, which shares key characteristics with emerging forms of invisibilized employment. Homework however, has not transformed but has always been informal, characterized by inferior standards. To account for this, we articulate a concept of denial of work.Cohen's (2001) concept of denial describes broad dimensions, including different forms, strategies and levels of denial. Adapting these, we construct a framework to analyze the denial of Argentinian garment homework, enabling a detailed examination of the specific social actors and processes involved in casting homework as non-work.In considering the denial of homework in relation to invisibilization, we argue that these are related but distinct concepts. Used together, they help explain the low-power condition of two types of garment homeworkers in Argentina while also accounting for their differences: the mostly male, migrant workers employed in clandestine workshops (such as the Bolivians interviewed in our study), and the traditional, mostly female, Argentinian garment homeworkers.Our findings suggest that Bolivian immigrant homeworkers are partially visibilized due to NGO advocacy. However, as there are no improvements to their working conditions, they remained largely invisibilized through the effects of capitalism. By contrast, traditional women homeworkers have no representation and internalize their condition: their invisibilization is explained by the cumulative effects of capitalism and patriarchy.Globalement, les travailleurs à domicile constituent une partie importante de la main-d'oeuvre informelle et ils sont communément considérés invisibles parce que leur travail n'est pas reconnu (Burchielli et al., 2008; Prugl, 1999). Dans cette étude qualitative, nous examinons l'invisibilité du travailleur à domicile dans l'industrie argentine du vêtement à domicile, en recourant aux concepts d'invisibilité et de déni du travail.Le concept d'invisibilité du travail (Krinsky et Simonet, 2012), lequel réfère à la dévalorisation du travail résultant de l'agenda néolibéral, est utilisé pour comprendre les tendances globales récentes d'éloignement des protections ou des contrats de travail « standard ». Découlant des relations sociales de domination, le travail invisible est précaire, avec des contrats de travail et des relations d'emploi nonexistants ou irréguliers. Le processus d'invisibilité procure alors une loupe intéressante pour analyser le travail à domicile, lequel partage certaines caractéristiques clés avec les formes émergentes de l'emploi invisible. L'emploi à domicile, toutefois, ne s'est pas transformé, mais a toujours été de nature informelle, caractérisé par des conditions de travail inférieures. Afin de rendre compte de ce phénomène, nous développons le concept de déni de l'emploi.Ce concept, emprunté à Cohen (2001), décrit de grandes dimensions, incluant diverses formes, stratégies et niveaux de déni. Adaptant cette réflexion théorique, nous avons construit un cadre d'analyse du déni de l'emploi à domicile dans l'industrie argentine du vêtement, permettant un examen en détail des acteurs sociaux et des processus spécifiques impliqués dans l'édification de ces emplois à domicile comme du non-travail.En considérant le déni de l'emploi à domicile en relation avec le concept d'invisibilité, nous soutenons qu'il s'agit là de deux concepts reliés, mais distincts. Pris ensemble, ils aident à expliquer les conditions de faible puissance de deux types d'emploi à domicile dans l'industrie du vêtement en Argentine, tout en rendant compte de leurs différences : d'abord, celui des travailleurs, principalement des hommes et immigrants, employés dans des ateliers clandestins (comme les Boliviens interviewés dans notre étude); et, ensuite, le secteur traditionnel de l'emploi à domicile argentin, composé principalement de femmes.Nos résultats suggèrent que les travailleurs à domicile immigrants boliviens sont partiellement rendus visibles grâce au travail de défense de leurs intérêts par des organisations non-gouvernementales (ONG). Toutefois, comme il n'y a pas d'améliorations de leurs conditions de travail, ils demeurent largement invisibles sous les effets du capitalisme. En revanche, les travailleuses à domicile traditionnelles ne sont pas représentées et, de ce fait, elles internalisent leurs conditions : leur invisibilité s'explique par les effets cumulatifs du capitalisme et du patriarcat.Globalmente, las trabajadoras a domicilio constituyen una parte significativa de la fuerza laboral informal, consideradas invisibles porque su trabajo no es reconocido (Burchielli et al., 2008; Prugl, 1999). En nuestra investigación cualitativa examinamos esta invisibilidad a través del caso de los costureros argentinos que trabajan a domicilio, utilizando los conceptos de la invisibilización del trabajo y la negación del trabajo.El concepto invisibilización del trabajo (Krinsky and Simonet, 2012), refiriéndose al trabajo desvalorizado resultante del proyecto neoliberal, se utiliza para entender las tendencias recientes, observadas globalmente, que se alejan de las disposiciones/ protecciones laborales normativas. Nacido de las relaciones sociales de dominación, el trabajo invisibilizado es precario y caracterizado por contratos y relaciones laborales irregulares/no-existentes. Por ende, la invisibilización ofrece un enfoque propicio para analizar el trabajo a domicilio pues éste comparte unas características claves con las formas emergentes del trabajo invisibilizado. Sin embargo, el trabajo a domicilio no ha sido objeto de transformación: desde sus orígenes siempre ha sido un trabajo informal, con normas inferiores al resto. Para reflejar este hecho, formulamos un concepto de negación del trabajo.El concepto de negación de Cohen (2001) traza unas dimensiones generales que incluyen distintas formas, estrategias y niveles de la negación. Nosotras adaptamos estas dimensiones para construir un esquema para analizar la negación del trabajo de los costureros a domicilio en Argentina. Esto nos permite destacar los actores sociales y los procesos que hacen que el trabajo a domicilio aparezca como no-trabajo.Enfocando la negación del trabajo a domicilio en relación a la invisibilización, argumentamos que éstos son conceptos distintos pero relacionados. Utilizados conjuntamente, nos ayudan a entender la carencia de poder para dos grupos de trabajadores costureros a domicilio en Argentina, a la vez de entender algunas diferencias entre ellos: a - los trabajadores inmigrantes, en su mayoría hombres, empleados en talleres clandestinos (como lo son los bolivianos entrevistados en esta investigación), y b - el grupo tradicionalmente conformado por mujeres, es decir las costureras argentinas que trabajan a domicilio.Nuestros resultados indican que los trabajadores bolivianos son parcialmente visibilizados por el activismo de una ONG. Sin embargo, como esto no resulta en una mejora de sus condiciones laborales, ellos siguen siendo invisibilizados por los efectos del capitalismo. Por otro lado, las trabajadoras a domicilio tradicionales no tienen defensa alguna; internalizan su condición y su invisibilización se explica por los efectos cumulativos del capitalismo y el patriarcado

Homework and CSR: Can homeworkers benefit?

Conference theme: The New World of Work, Organisations and Employmen

Garment homework in Argentina: drawing together the threads of invisible and precarious work

This article explores and applies Kalleberg's concept and dimensions of precarious work in relation to garment homework in Argentina. Although precarious work exists across formal and informal employment, its nature and dimensions are most commonly researched in relation to formal work in developed economies where the loss of standard conditions can be documented. Similarly, homework is most usually discussed as a category of informal work, in the context of developing countries, within which precariousness is one among numerous aspects of adverse job quality. Applying the concept of precariousness enables homework to be assessed systematically against specific labour standards, yielding a more powerful analysis than reference to a general deficit. This may increase our understanding of homework especially with regard to addressing labour standards

Regulatory challenges in the Australian garment industry: human rights in a post-Ruggie environment

As corporations increasingly operate beyond national boundaries, the regulatory frameworks that monitor their conduct have not kept pace with the dynamic global playing field. Governance gaps are endemic to this environment, where corporate human rights abuses potentially transpire without sanction or reparation. This article investigates the human rights and business nexus in Australia, applying a labour rights lens. We examine two cases within the Australian garment industry: the Home Workers Code of Practice and Coles. We analyse the UN Guiding Principles as the baseline corporate responsibility to respect human rights in relation to two of our cases. The Regulation Theory is applied to explore the roles of three distinct actors: states, corporations and non-state actors. We also examine governance gaps as direct consequences of inadequate regulatory frameworks provided by government. We conclude that in Australia, the human rights and business agenda is functioning at the superficial level with corporate responsibilities failing to be fully met and with little evidence of states complying with their duty to protect human rights abuses resulting from corporate misconduct

Positioning women homeworkers in a global footwear production network: How can homeworkers improve agency, influence and claim rights?

This article analyses the position of women footwear homeworkers, using global production networks as a conceptual lens. Using qualitative data collected in India during 2011 to 2014, it illustrates the asymmetry of power between network actors and attests to the poverty, invisibility and lack of acknowledgement and representation characterising leather footwear homework. It represents leather footwear homeworkers as working from the margins of these networks, with weak links to most other actors in the networks. The paper interrogates how marginalised and informal workers might increase their agency and participation capacity in global production networks, and proposes that this can occur through support and organising undertaken by appropriate non-governmental organisations

Campaign strategies to develop regulatory mechanisms: Protecting Australian garment homeworkers

Despite key universal characteristics of homework that render it complex and challenging to protect, Australia has a comprehensive suite of regulatory (legislative and non-legislative) mechanisms protecting garment homeworkers. This article proposes that it was the intense and sustained campaigning and mobilisation efforts of the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia, undertaken together with the FairWear Campaign and Asian Women at Work, which enabled the emergence and development of these mechanisms. We examine these homework initiatives, applying the lens of responsive regulation theory, to derive implications for global homeworker organisations, shaping their regulatory environments. The article concludes that legislative outcomes alone are insufficient and a combined strategy that encompasses campaigning, legislative reform and social movement strategies that involve the participation of homeworkers are more likely to ensure effective and ongoing homeworker protection

Homeworkers organizing for recognition and rights: Can international standards assist them?

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Garment homework in Argentina: Drawing together the threads of informal and precarious work

AbstractThis article explores and applies Kalleberg’s concept and dimensions of precarious work in relation to garment homework in Argentina. Although precarious work exists across formal and informal employment, its nature and dimensions are most commonly researched in relation to formal work in developed economies where the loss of standard conditions can be documented. Similarly, homework is most usually discussed as a category of informal work, in the context of developing countries, within which precariousness is one among numerous aspects of adverse job quality. Applying the concept of precariousness enables homework to be assessed systematically against specific labour standards, yielding a more powerful analysis than reference to a general deficit. This may increase our understanding of homework especially with regard to addressing labour standards.</jats:p