The study was commissioned by Fairtrade International to investigate whether Fairtrade certification has made a difference in the lives of workers on tea plantations in India and Sri Lanka: two major tea-producing countries with high numbers of Fairtrade certified tea plantations and hired tea workers. With the implementation of the recent ‘Fairtrade Standard for Hired Labour’ in mind the study considers the following two questions:
1. How have labour conditions and collective agency of workers in Fairtrade certified plantations developed over time in comparison to non-certified plantations, and what has the role of Fairtrade certification been in this process?
2. In which ways can Fairtrade promote its impact in tea producer organizations, especially focusing on hired labour organizations?