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Urgent
appeals Round the world, right now, thousands
of garment workers are fighting for their rights.
The cases below are calls for solidarity from garment
workers and their representatives who are persecuted,
discriminated against, or lose their jobs because
they have tried to organise to improve the conditions
in which they work. By taking action on each case,
you can help bring pressure to bear on the brands,
suppliers and governments who have the ability and
the responsibility to respect these workers' rights.
Where abuses are found in a company's supply chain,
we call on that company to put pressure on the supplier
concerned to protect workers' rights, not to 'cut
and run' by withdrawing its orders.
August 25,
2008Tell Triumph that Fashion Requires Freedom: Reinstate Thai Union President Now!
 Fashion
Thailand, a subsidiary of Triumph International,
has fired a union leader for wearing a political
t-shirt. Thousands of workers are protesting her
unjust dismissal.
On July 30, 2008, a Thai subsidiary of Triumph International,
one of the world's largest makers of intimate apparel,
dismissed union president Jitra Kotshadej for wearing
an unfashionable t-shirt. She wasn't wearing the
t-shirt at work, and it wasn't the colour or the
design of the t-shirt that caused offence. It was
the message that caused the problem: "Those who
do not stand are not criminals. Thinking differently
is not a crime." The t-shirt refers to the abuse
of lèse-majesté legislation
to suppress political opposition and the right of
people to refrain from standing during the royal
anthem. Ms. Kotshadej was participating in a late
night TV debate on women’s reproductive rights
when she wore the t-shirt. Despite the fact that
she was speaking in her private time and not in
her capacity as a union leader or worker at Triumph's
Body Fashion (Thailand) Ltd. Factory, she was dismissed.
Since then, 3000 of her co-workers walked out of
the factory in a show of solidarity, demanding the
reinstatement of their union president.
Support their
fight for freedom of expression and union rights! Write to Triumph
today.
 
July 26, 2008Euro 2008 Supplier Gets Red Card for
Workers' Rights
In the month before football players
from 16 European nations kicked the ball over the line, 52 workers in
Turkey learned about the other side of the Euro 2008 medal.
They
worked for the factory Mink Tekstil in Konya, Turkey which
produces Euro 2008 logo goods. In June 2006, almost the entire
workforce of Mink Tekstil (90 Percent) joined the textile trade union
Teksif. Although Teksif was granted bargaining rights at Mink Tekstil,
factory management refused to accept the union’s invitation to begin
negotiations and instead launched an anti-union campaign, forcing
workers to resign from the union under threats of dismissal, pay cuts,
the conclusion of ‘under the table’ payments and transfer to other
locations. As a result of the pressure, eight union members resigned
from union membership. The dozens of other union members who refused to
resign were dismissed. In this context, Teksif ended up losing its
majority and hence its bargaining rights.
Demand the reinstatement of the workers of Mink Tekstil and the right
of freedom of association!
Aug 14, 2008Pakistani Police Attack Peaceful Demonstration at Naveena Textile
Three hundred workers have been locked out and six face charges for participating in a peaceful demonstration protesting illegally low wages at Naveena Textile Mills in Lahore, Pakistan.
On July 30 workers, labour officials and activists gathered outside the Naveena factory to demand that management stop paying wages below the legal minimum of RS. 6000 and abide by Pakistan’s labour law and international labour standards. In response, police reportedly attacked the peaceful demonstrators with batons, used tear gas in an attempt to disperse them, and arrested and detained six people including CMKP Punjab President Taimur Rehman, Rafaqat Ali Azad, Muhammad Ilyas from the All-Pakistan Trade Union Federation (APTUF), CMKP Lahore District Committee (DC) member Muhammad Ali Jan and Adam Shah and Bilal, workers from the Naveena Textile Mills. The six have since been released, but charges have been filed against them.
Take action now to demand that the charges are withdrawn and Naveena workers receive the wages they are legally entitled to!
April 9, 2008Call on adidas to Improve its Performance in
Indonesia, Re-Employ Mistreated Workers
adidas must take action to address
systemic labour violations in Indonesia. It can begin by making amends
for the illegal and unfair treatment of workers at PT Spotec and PT
Dong Joe who were left with nothing when the factories abruptly closed.  adidas' parking space at the closed Spotec factoryIn its glossy and well-designed publications, adidas expresses its commitment to improving its social and environmental performance, acknowledging its responsibility to "take action and encourage others in our supply chain to take action if we are to make a difference and become a sustainable business." Now is the time for adidas to take action in Indonesia, where systemic violations of international labour standards profoundly affect the lives and well-being of workers.
March 17, 2008 Tell Chinese Officials: Release Innocent
Workers, Bring Corrupt Owner to Justice
On
February 13, 700 workers at the Panyu Li Chang Footwear Co. Ltd
returned from their New Year holiday to find that the owner had stolen
their wages, closed the factory and sold all the equipment. Now five of
the workers who peacefully appealed for justice face criminal charges.
 Chinese authorities publicly announce arrest
of five workers. Demand the immediate and
unconditional release of the five workers who spontaneously and
peacefully walked with their fellow workers to report the factory
owner's crime and call on the authorities for help.
 
Aug 5, 2008Repression of Workers Continues Under Bangladesh's Military-Backed Government
Since January 2007 the Bangladesh government has banned political and trade union activities and given itself "state of emergency" powers which severely limit civil rights.
Jan 29, 2008A Message to Adidas: Dismissed Workers
Deserve New Jobs!
Adidas must ensure employment of
unfairly dismissed Panarub workers
Jan 24, 2008Tell Kings Land that Union Rights are Human
Rights For over six
months, workers at the Kings Land Garment Company in Cambodia have
asked management to address problems with working conditions at the
factory.  April 4, 2007
Philippines:
violence against workers continues
Philippine
garment workers still need your support as violence in the Cavite
Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) continues.
 
April 10, 2007
Spectrum
Workers Receive First Payments from Compensation Fund: Carrefour still
Refusing to Participate Days
before the second anniversary of the Spectrum garment factory collapse,
which killed 64 and injured 80 (54 seriously), 22 workers received the
first distribution of a US$ 60,000 advance from the fund.
 
March 6, 2007
Intimidation
of trade unionists in Sri Lanka
The
Clean Clothes Campaign is gravely concerned about the recent
developments in Sri Lanka, where trade unionists are intimidated and
threatened with abduction, as a result of a public campaign depicting
them as traitors and terrorists.
  Jan 3, 2007
Hermosa: emergency fund set up and new action request
In
2006 we have several times asked you to support the Hermosa workers,
whose factory closed in may 2005 following an attempt to organize a
union. A determined group of 63 workers has since been campaigning to
receive their legally owed severance and other payments, and to end the
blacklisting that prevents them from getting new jobs in the Maquila.
  September 5,
2005 Update
and action request PT Busana Prima Global - Indonesia
Update
Sept 2005
August, 2005
North Sails
continues to ignore workers' plight
Voice
your support for the 207 unjustly dismissed workers
 
June 27, 2005
FILA FAILS -
Silent on Workers Rights in Indonesia
Fila
take positive action now on the PT Tae Hwa case!
  Resolved cases 1999 - now
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