Not a single worker is making a living wage yet H&M claims to have done an amazing job
In the latest sustainability report and the accompanying public communication H&M continues to mislead the public about its progress in the area of living wage. H&M’s practice of making empty promises and bogus claims of great achievements cannot go unchallenged. Regardless of how much money and brainpower H&M pours into its corporate communication, it is an undeniable fact that workers at H&M supplier factories are still far from earning living wages.
Former Uniqlo garment workers attend flagship store opening in Denmark to highlight Uniqlo’s wage-theft
Between 2 and 7 April, two Indonesian garment factory workers, who made Uniqlo clothing for years, will be in Copenhagen as part of the global PayUp Uniqlo campaign. They demand that the brand fulfills the debt owed to workers following the unexpected closure of their factory in 2015. The workers’ visit coincides with the opening of the first Uniqlo store in Denmark on April 5th where CEO Tadashi Yanai is expected to attend.
Government of Bangladesh not ready to take over Accord’s safety work
The government of Bangladesh is using proceedings before the Supreme Court of Bangladesh to prevent the Accord on Fire and Building Safety, the safety programme established in the aftermath ofthe Rana Plaza collapse, from operating, thereby putting workers’ safety at risk. A ruling on 7 April in Bangladesh’s Appellate Court could require the Accord to close its Dhaka office and operations without taking into account whether national agencies would be ready to take up the work.
Hundreds of women workers part of longest running strike in the Katunayake Investment Promotion Zone
Workers from workwear manufacturing company ATG Ceylon Pvt Ltd. in Sri Lanka have been subject to a range of human rights abuses breaching both Sri Lankan and international labour laws and conventions. Hundreds of women workers, part of the Free Trade Zone and General Services Employees’ Union (FTZ-GSEU) have been on strike for over two months, now the longest running strike in the Katunayake Investment Promotion Zone. Two workers are now on hunger strike.
Labour and human rights groups urge multi-stakeholder initiatives and business associations in the apparel sector to adopt transparency requirements
In response to requests from trade unions, and other independent labour rights and human rights organizations, on February 27 the Fair Labor Association (FLA) voted to require its company affiliates to publicly disclose their supplier lists. Details concerning the implementation of this decision, including the scope of disclosure, remain to be seen. However, if the FLA follows this decision with robust enforcement of this requirement for its member companies, it will be a significant development towards greater transparency and corporate accountability for garment workers’ rights in global supply chains. Members of the Transparency Pledge Coalition, a group of global unions and other independent labour rights and human rights organizations, will be monitoring this decision to ensure its full and meaningful implementation while calling on other apparel sector Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives (MSIs) and business associations to follow suit.
Take Action!
Support our campaign for safe factories in Bangladesh and to #ProtectProgress made by the Bangladesh Accord.
Demand that H&M stops running away from the committment that workers will be paid a living wage by 2018.
Who We Are
The Clean Clothes Campaign is dedicated to improving working conditions and supporting the empowerment of workers in the global garment and sportswear industries.
We educate and mobilise consumers, lobby companies and governments, and offer direct solidarity support to workers as they fight for their rights and demand better working conditions.
We work with a global network of partners, always according to our principles and with a strong belief that empowering women is key to improving lives.