Long-awaited victory

The Clean Clothes Campaign is relieved that the union has reached a settlement with Bratex and Fruit of the Loom in July 2014, after more than three years. The settlement covers all outstanding issues of reinstatement, compensation, withdrawal of criminal charges and a guarantee that freedom of association will be respected in the Sri Lankan underwear factory.

See also:

Victory: settlement with underwear factory Bratex

 

Earlier we published:

Three years on: still no settlement

In 2009 workers at the Bratex factory in Colombo went on strike. Their concerns over wages and freedom of association were not addressed by the management. Following the strike 31 union activists were dismissed without the required procedures. Throughout 2013 CCC has demanded that the Fair Labor Association and Fruit of the Loom ensure that Bratex will sign an agreement with the union on the reinstatement of the workers.

The case of Bratex was brought to the attention of the Clean Clothes Campaign in 2011, after the Fair Labour Association (FLA) failed to find a resolution to the case on several occasions. The FLA is an American Multi-Stakeholder Initiative of which Fruit of the Loom is a member.

In 2013 CCC and the Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union (FTZ&GSEU) proposed terms for a settlement to Fruit of the Loom, who put pressure on its supplier Bratex to resolve the case. In addition to reinstatement, the workers should be offered wage arrears, and their right to freedom of association and representation by the union should be guaranteed. With support of Workers United in the US, we hope that the agreement will be signed in 2014.

 

See also:

Bratex case in Annual Review of 2012