CASTE, CLASS, CONTINGENT LABOR: AN INTERSECTIONAL ANALYSIS OF WAGE DISCRIMINATION AND PRODUCTIVITY IN SUKKUR’S INDUSTRIAL LABOR FORCE

Abstract

Purpose: This study examines how caste, class, and exploitative employment practices affect temporary industrial workers in Sukkur, Pakistan. Previous studies have focused on caste-based differentials in Pakistan and India. However, they have not highlighted the actual ground situation in rural and urban areas such as Sukkur. The study fills this gap by conducting primary research on layered social identities and contractual stability in the Sindh economy. Methodology: The researcher used a qualitative and phenomenological approach. The study is largely qualitative and subjective in nature. Therefore, the researcher has selected 350 temporary laborers working in the industrial zones of Sukkur. The researcher collected data through open-ended and closed-ended questions and transcribed them. Findings: temporary contracts have increased the economic and social vulnerability of laborers. This exploitative employment practice has eroded the job security of laborers and suppressed their productivity and performance. The exploitative nature of contracts has deepened communal disharmony in Sukkur. The study findings have highlighted the inherent drawbacks in the current labor practices and how they exacerbate caste-class biases. Value: This study urges all stakeholders to perform their roles effectively. Regulators, policymakers, factory owners, union leaders, and laborers must perform their related roles. For instance, factory owners must ensure safe and secure workplace conditions for laborers.