Updated: August 26, 2008Home 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.
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Take action now to demand that the charges are withdrawn and Naveena workers receive the wages they are legally entitled to! Olympics: IOC Inaction on Labour Rights Shameful Play Fair 2008 Pressrelease International mobilization in 35 countries calls for positive action to clean up Olympic supply chains

3 August 2008, Hong Kong – Campaigners in Hong Kong, backed by the Play Fair 2008 global coalition, have today confronted the International Olympic Committee for its failure to act on widespread exploitation of workers in the manufacture of Olympics-branded products.

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