Cara,+Kelsey

Article (TWO PAGES!): http://www.womensenews.org/story/labor/111017/job-rolling-tobacco-sickens-indias-women?page=0,1

Abstract: This article is about tobacco rolling in India. Women Beedi workers make up 90%-95% of the labor force in India. Excessive amounts of exposure to tobacco can cause tuberculosis, bronchitis and cancer. Ingesting tobacco can cause reproductive problems and can lead to miscarriages, abortions, stillborn babies, and low-birth weight babies. Still, many women and children expose themselves to the conditions.

Discussion Questions: 1.Who do you think is to blame? 2. How can the working conditions improve? 3. Why do you think women Beedi workers don't stand up for their rights? 4. Why do you think rolling tobacco is easier than agricultural work? 5. How does the Beedi industry affect India's society?

Cara's Response: I thought this article was interesting because the women aren't forced to do the work, yet they still stay and choose to expose themselves to the problems from tobacco. Women who roll tobacco only get about $4 a week for rolling 4,000 Beedi's. The men who regulate the labor and the wages for the women often shortchange the women from the work that they do. Beedi workers spend much of their time at home with their backs hunched and their necks strained. Their children are exposed to their work and some as young as 2 have breathing problems from the tobacco exposure. People who are severely affected by the tobacco do not have the necessary medical treatment they need and the nearest major hospital is located 60 miles away, yet many cannot afford the treatment. I don't know why these women stay in the conditions that they are in and they don't do anything about it.

Kelsey's Resonse: After reading this article I was shocked to learn about the woman and children beedi-rollers in India. Since beedi-rolling is a female-dominant job because of their soft hands, women make up about 95% of those employed in India. Unfortunately, these women and their children suffer from fatal diseases such as tuberculosis, bronchitis and cancer from being exposed to to tobacco dust and other workers who already suffer from illnesses. These women are payed less than minimum wage and don't receive the health insurance, maternity benefits, housing assistance and scholarships that they are promised. I can't understand why these women would continue to work in such a industry when they know what the consequences are and don't receive full pay.