Global Production and Labour Regimes: Workers' Struggle In The Automotive Sector In India

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As the Indian economy aspires to grow, the formal sector of the economy, and especially manufacturing, is crucial. However, informality of labour, which is normally associated with the agricultural sector, has now emerged even in the industrial/manufacturing sector. In India's automotive sector, about 70-80% of the workforce (ET Bureau 2011) works on temporary contracts and almost 100% of the workforce in the global supply chain of manufacturing and assembling of autoparts is informal with no recourse to either the welfare state or international labour oganisations. India's automotive sector employs more than 13 million workers, making it a significant part of India's industrial base (India Brand Equity Foundation 2015).The fellowship investigates the nature of informality using an interdisciplinary approach combining labour studies, industrial relations, transnational workers' solidarity, geography, anthropology, and development studies.Fellowship Aims1) To develop publications in peer reviewed journals and submit an edited book proposal titled "Challenges to Pro-Labour Industrial Policy in India". The publications will investigate challenges faced by trade unions to be democratically organised against the growing influence of a transnational global production network in the automobile sector. More broadly, it employs an innovative research methodology to better understand the complex industrial supply chain network of local and regional suppliers and assemblers in the Indian automotive industry.2) To conduct further limited research (30 days) into the transnational dimensions of India's automotive sector. The study is located in the major industrial clusters of Haryana, Gurgaon-Manesar and Faridabad-Ballabhgarh, which are the major production sites of the National Capital Region auto manufacturing hub. I will use as sources: (a) semi-structured interviews with workers, union leaders, labour activists, lawyers, state officials and labour scholars; (b) newspaper reports on strikes and labour unrest; (c) statistical data by governments and the International Organisation (ILO); (d) documents produced by governments, employers and trade unions and (e) secondary literature from the academic field.3) To communicate research findings to academic and non-academic audiences in India, North America, and Europe.4) To extend my professional networks by participating in the Royal Geographical Society (RGS-IBG), Association of American Geographers ( AAG,US) and Society for Advancement of Socio-Economics (SASE) Conferences in 2022 (Venues and Dates TBC).5) To apply for grants for further research.Training and Professional DevelopmentDuring the fellowship, I will participate in different research and career development courses through the researcher development programme at Manchester University, including those on training how to write effective research applications and how to capture the impact of research. These will especially assist me in completing my fellowship's objectives.In preparation for the study of working lives of contractual workers in India, I will participate in and complete advanced methodological training in applied ethnography offered through NWSS DTP ESRC advanced training meant for early-career researchers (it takes place end-April/ May each year). This 2-day intensive course is specifically designed to: 1) address the many complex advances in contemporary ethnographic techniques and approaches, and 2) to consider the diverse issues around the application of ethnography to real-world problems and solutions.Two articles in peer reviewed journals and a co-edited book proposal from the fellowship are expected outcomes. The publications will question how much trade unions can be democratically organised against the growing influence of a transnational global production network in the automobile sector which influences local and regional suppliers and assemblers of auto parts.