Indian Industry and Ethinicity: A study of two organizations in Mumbai

Abstract

With the process of globalization becoming all pervasive, mobilization on the basis of class seems to not only recede but is also being replaced by ethnicity. It was thus decided to conduct a study to look into this phenomenon. The study was conducted in Mumbai: one unit from the traditional sector and the other from a more recently established industry - a chemical-factory were chosen. In-depth interviews were carried out over a period of seven months with 163 employees in two units. The findings reveal that the competing groups in Mumbai Port Trust(MBPT) were the Maharashtrian on one hand, and the migrants from other states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu on the other. The Maharashtrians cornered the better jobs in MBPT and the dirty jobs were left for the migrants. The issue of reservation also figured prominently during the interviews, especially amongst the MBPT workers. As compared to the MBPT workers, the Company C wworkers were more educated and urban in orien...