"In India, women garment workers are being forced to leave their jobs because of this one reason", 5 July 2020

Indian clothing factories resumed production eight weeks ago as the country’s coronavirus restrictions were eased, but they have kept their creches shut, leaving working parents in the lurch and forcing some to give up their jobs...

...Factory bosses defend creche closures as a way to stem the spread of Covid-19, but union leaders say it is a convenient way for them to lay off workers – particularly working mothers – without having to sack them formally.

The vast majority of India’s garment workers are women, who generally take responsibility for childcare. Many are single mothers or get little babysitting help from their husbands...

...Under Indian labour laws, factories with more than 30 women employees have to provide a creche for children under six, but it is unclear when they might reopen. “It is mandatory and the government has not given any instructions to the contrary. We are trying to see how we can reconcile these problems,” said Maheshwar Rao, principal secretary of the Karnataka state labour department.

...Despite a rise in coronavirus infections following the lockdown’s easing in India, trade unions and workers say parents should be the ones to decide whether to run the risk of sending their children to a nursery run by their factories...