Workers representing the LGBTQIA+ community working in Free Trade Zones (FTZs) claim that garment factories employing them through manpower agencies exploit their labor as men and pay nominal wages for women.
Addressing a press conference, representatives of the transgender community said that while performing their duties in free trede zones and suburban factories
Representatives of Standup Movement Lanka who spoke there said that some of the experiences that their members have to go through in the course of their work are indescribably unpleasant.
Sihina Thanuvara, who represents the LGBTQIA+ community, said they are discriminated against from the start of a job interview, where employers judge them by their dress and appearance.
“We receive regular treatments to speed up our sexual transition period. There are three surgeries for that and a lot of money has to be spent. We should provide that money by doing jobs. In the face of these injustices, providing the money is a challenge. Either way we can apply for a new national identity card once we achieve our new gender. It can reduce these problems.
At worst, we are hired by unregulated manpower agencies. There they are employed in garment factories to work hard like men. They entrust us with heavy work like loading and unloading. It’s usually a job for men. But at the end of the day a designated salary is paid for a female assistant. There is a marked disparity between the two rates of pay,” Thenuwara said.
Executive Director Standup Movement Lanka Ashila Dandeniya said that the authorities should seriously consider the regulation and registration of these manpower agencies and she hopes that justice will be done to them through the new government.
“Sometimes employers strip our members to determine their sexual orientation before hiring them, which is a gross violation of human rights,” Dandenia said.
Piuma Prabodhini, Vishnu Jegatheswaran and Pooja Nilani, the other members of the movement also spoke at the press conference.