Women are getting opportunities to join workforce in large number especially in the labour intensive industries due to factors such as demand for women workers to do low skilled monotonous work at low wage rates. Along with the focus on employment opportunities available to women and wages paid to them, one should go beyond these two aspects to analyze their real position within families. As has been observed and experienced, women were kept in isolation when it come the decision making power within families as this power was and still is kept in the hands of those who earn, i.e. men in the families.

This paper is based on the information gathered from small and medium scale garment industry workers in Ludhiana to analyze the extent of control women have on their wages and decision making power within their families. It is shown here that from the decision to take up paid work, wages earned and decision making within families, the power still prevails following the principles of patriarchal structure.