A living wage is a human right, but for most workers in the garment industry this is a right denied. From October 5 – 11th CCCs across Europe and partners in other parts of the world took action to demand that retailers make a commitment to ensure workers are paid a living wage.

Activists in 12 European countries participated in events to support demands that retailers pay garment workers in their supply chains a living wage. Activities ranged from leafleting actions and public debates to visiting corporate headquarters and hosting film screenings to draw attention to the urgent need for a living wage for garment workers.

CCC activists pressed international retail giants such as Carrefour, Tesco, Aldi and Lidl, as well as other major national-level retailers, to take up a ground-breaking wage benchmark called the Asia Floor Wage (AFW) for garment workers. The AFW, developed by a growing Asian-based alliance of labour rights organisations, has a concrete calculation for a minimum living wage that activists believe companies sourcing in the region should implement. Read more about the AFW

With the action week, the CCC and partners aimed to push key players in the garment industry to take long overdue action on the issue of wages. The mainly women who do the work to produce clothing for international retail chains live in severe poverty, often in substandard housing, without clean drinking water or enough food to sustain them and their families. Even companies that have adopted codes of conduct for their garment supply chains have failed to implement a living wage.

CCC campaigning for better wages for garment workers is ongoing. Support the call for an immediate commitment from retailers to take steps to implement the living wage in their garment production supply chains. Send a message to top international retailers.