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#WeDemandTk16000: International solidarity with the workers in Bangladesh
The struggle for a minimum wage in Bangladesh that would enable a decent life continues. Following a series of public rallies, press conferences and round tables, a number of workers are on a hunger strike today. This action, organized by the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF), an IndustriALL global union affiliate, should serve as a stark reminder that the announced minimum wage of 8,000 taka will leave many workers and their families hungry and unable to cover other basic living cost.
As UNIQLO pops the champaign in Europe, deprived garment workers knock its door in Japan
Today two garment workers, part of a group of 2000 workers from Indonesia, tour Japan calling on UNIQLO after the retailer turned down a request to meet earlier this week. The tour is part of the global Pay Up UNIQLO campaign taking place in Europe, the US, Indonesia and East Asia, uniting campaigners and workers in support of the worker’s fight for 5.5M USD in compensation after loosing their job when the Jaba Garmindo factory in Indonesia went bankrupt in 2015, two months after UNIQLO pulled its orders from the factory.
Five years since Rana Plaza, workers injured at the job in Bangladesh still face insecurity and dire poverty
The deadly Rana Plaza collapse of 2013, killing at least 1,134 workers making clothes for Western markets, was the largest, but not the last factory incident in Bangladesh. Five years ago today, only six months after the horrific Rana Plaza tragedy, seven workers died and over fifty were injured in a fire in the Aswad Composite Textile Mill. While a world-wide campaign began to ensure compensation for the families of the Rana Plaza workers, the families affected by the Aswad fire were left with nothing, and have yet to receive a single penny in compensation. Devastatingly, the Aswad fire victims’ families are not alone - since the Rana Plaza collapse, over 540 workers have been killed and injured in factory incidents in Bangladesh. On the fifth anniversary of the Aswad factory fire, Clean Clothes Campaign calls upon the Bangladesh government and others involved in the industry to finally create a national employment injury insurance scheme that would cover all workers in Bangladesh.
Workers reveal poverty wages and labour law violations in H&M's supply chain
Research findings published this week around the world reveal that many workers making H&M’s clothes live below the poverty line -- despite H&M’s promise of a living wage by 2018, and despite the brand’s recent deceptive claims of progress. Interviewed workers in India and Turkey earn about a third and in Cambodia less than one-half of the estimated living wage. In Bulgaria interviewed workers’ salary at H&M’s “gold supplier” is not even 10 per cent of what would be required for workers and their families to have decent lives.
Outrageous new minimum wage announced in Bangladesh
In a climate of fear and intimidation and after months of delays, Bangladeshi authorities have announced the new monthly minimum wage of 8,000 taka (USD 95) for the 4.5 million workers in the garment sector in Bangladesh. This amount shows complete disregard for legitimate workers' unions and for the need to set wages through social dialogue.
Complaint filed against Italian auditor for ignoring fatal flaws in garment factory
More than 250 people died and dozens were injured in a fire at the Ali Enterprises textile factory in Karachi, Pakistan, on 11 September 2012. Only three weeks before, Italian auditor RINA Services S.p.A. certified the factory for abiding to international labour standards. Marking the six year anniversary of the disaster an international coalition of eight human rights, labour and consumer organizations file a complaint to the OECD National Contact Point (NCP) at the Ministry for Economic Development in Rome against RINA, the company that could have prevented hundreds of deaths by doing its work properly.
Brands’ support for a living wage for garment workers in Bangladesh
The Minimum Wage Board in Bangladesh will reconvene on Wednesday, 29 August, to set the new statutory minimum wage for workers in Bangladesh’s garment industry. Ahead of this meeting Clean Clothes Campaign, the International Labor Rights Forum and Maquila Solidarity Network jointly urged major brands sourcing from Bangladesh to publicly support workers’ demands. These include the minimum wage of 16,000 taka, a statutory framework to govern pay grades and promotion and other welfare measures. Inditex – the owner of Zara, Bershka, Pull and Bear and several other labels – was the first to publicly respond in a positive manner.
As UNIQLO arrives in Scandinavia, Indonesian garment workers demand justice
As UNIQLO, Japan’s largest clothing retailer, hits Stockholm on Thursday 24 August with a huge opening party at its new flagship store, labour rights campaigners demand the fast fashion giant act immediately to settle a long running dispute with 2000 Indonesia workers fighting for USD 5.5 million they are owed in lost wages and unpaid severance.
Clean Clothes Campaign condemns employers' minimum wage proposal for workers in Bangladesh and urges brands to take action
The Bangladesh garment industry employers’ association has shown utmost disregard for workers’ wellbeing and for their lives outside of garment factories. On Monday, 16 July, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) submitted a proposal to the relevant public authority for the workers’ minimum wage to be set at 6,360 taka (about 75 USD). Not only does this amount not meet any living wage standard for Bangladesh – it does not even remedy employers’ disregard for the legally required increases over the past five years.
Full support for Bangladeshi garment workers’ demands on minimum wage
Ahead of the long overdue meeting of the national Minimum Wage Board, set to take place on Sunday, 8 July, Clean Clothes Campaign expresses solidarity with workers in Bangladesh and full support for their demands. We urge the Minimum Wage Board to increase the minimum wage to 16,000 taka without delay, and to adopt other measures requested by workers and their representatives.
UNIQLO makes Federer cry: Federer’s new sponsor UNIQLO pays him millions, but refuses wages to workers
Since 2015, 2,000 laid-off Indonesian workers who made clothes for UNIQLO and other companies have been waiting for USD 5.5 million of unpaid wages and severance pay. That must make Roger Federer – known for his sense of fairness – cry as much as it does us. That is why at www.hello-roger.ch/en fans and activists are calling on the tennis star to join an urgent international action to make his new sponsor change its stance. Public Eye and Clean Clothes Campaign are criticizing UNIQLO for failing to live up to its social responsibility towards the affected women and men by refusing to negotiate with Indonesian trade unions over compensation for former factory workers.
Bangladesh could risk trade benefits if it does not get serious about workers’ rights
The European Union and the government of Bangladesh face an excellent opportunity to show they are serious about workers’ rights in the garment industry.
Complaint lodged against the European Commission for failing to uphold fundamental human rights in trade policy
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC), and the HEC-NYU EU Public Interest Clinic have today filed a formal complaint with the European Ombudsman. The labour rights organizations claim the European Commission is not taking into account its human rights obligations regarding trade policies towards Bangladesh, and is not transparent about doing so.
"Turn Around, H&M!" campaigners demand transparency on H&M's wage efforts
In a letter to H&M's Head of Sustainability the "Turn Around, H&M!" campaigners pointed out the different ways in which the response to CCC's public letter sent in March was unsatisfactory. Campaigners once again called for concrete data and expressed the expectation that H&M will yet live up to its commitment that 850,000 workers would be paid a living wage this year.
Adidas and Nike pay record-breaking amounts to footballers, but deny decent wages to women stitching their shirts
While millions of people are getting ready to cheer their favorite teams during the Football World Cup, a report by Éthique sur l’étiquette and Clean Clothes Campaign, ‘Foul Play’, reveals that adidas and Nike, major sponsors of the global event, pay poverty wages to the thousands of women in their supply chain that sew the football shirts and shoes of players and supporters.
New research unveils gender based violence in H&M and Gap garment supply chains
A global coalition of trade unions, worker rights and human rights organizations released groundbreaking factory level research reports documenting gender based violence in H&M and Gap’s Asian garment supply chains. The coalition calls on H&M and Gap to take immediate action to end the violence and harassment that women garment workers are forced to endure daily.
Work to make Bangladeshi factories safe continues, but IKEA refuses to join
Today, 1 June, the 2018 Transition Accord will take effect, working to make garment factories in Bangladesh safer. It will continue the work of its predecessor, which was established shortly after the deadly Rana Plaza collapse in 2013, to inspect factories and monitor renovations in a credible and transparent way. The new Accord has a range of new features, including the fact that it now welcomes producers of home textiles and fabric and knit accessories, next to garment factories. This means that more companies can join and more workers can be protected. However, IKEA, the largest home furnishing company in the world, has refused to bring the home textile factories it sources from in Bangladesh under the purview of the Accord.
Families affected by 2012 Ali Enterprises fire finally receive life-long pensions
As of yesterday, Saturday 19 May, survivors and families that lost loved ones at the Ali Enterprises fire of 2012 will receive pensions out of a fund financed by the factory’s main buyer, German retailer KiK. The process was lengthy – the families had to wait for more than six years -, but the outcome is ground-breaking. In a global precedent for the garment industry, the families will receive life-long pensions matching international standards as set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Workers and activists call on H&M’s shareholders to fulfill the living wage commitment
As H&M’s shareholders are gathering in Stockholm for their annual meeting (AGM), the growing international coalition behind the “Turn Around, H&M!” campaign is drawing attention to the fact that H&M is on course to let down hundreds of thousands of workers who have been waiting for a living wage.
Campaign launch: Turn around, H&M!
Clean Clothes Campaign is dedicating this year’s International Labour Day to the hundreds of thousands of workers who produce garments for H&M. They are waiting for the brand to stop turning its back on the commitment that living wages would become a reality by 2018.