Interviews
Forced labour & trafficked on rise in garment industry
19 Feb '08
3 min read
They are then air-freighted to their temporary owner. However, usually their only contract is with the labour broker who supplies them 'en bloc' to the manufacturer who thus avoids all legal obligations for their working conditions.
“Frequently the broker holds on to their identity documents while they work long hours for low wages under often appalling abusive conditions.
Deductions from wages for the repayment of the loan, travel costs, accommodation and food, and fines for mistakes, talking while working, etc. eat up much of their income.
“In one case in China the labour broker was taking more than 30% of the wages for repayment of the recruitment fee alone. In another case workers actually ended up owing money to the broker at the month end and after all the deductions had been made.
“Though not naked or in chains but without identity documents, far from home and facing a strange language and culture they are no less slaves.
“The labour brokers are the villains in all this but the garment manufacturer is a willing accomplice and brands and retailers sourcing the goods in this way greatly profit from this traffic slavery.
Mr Kearney called on governments to legislate to ensure decent work and forcefully to implement theresulting rules.
“The activities of labour brokers must be closely regulated. Recruitment fees must be outlawed in line with ILO Convention 181 with the manufacturers meeting all recruitment and travel cost, etc”: he said.
“Every migrant worker should have an employment contract direct with the employer and should enjoy conditions no less favourable than the indigenous workforce.
“Comprehensive advice should be given on rights before departure from the sending country and on arrival in the host country.
“All migrant workers should have the right to join local trade unions and to bargain collectively their wages and working conditions.
“When labour brokers are employers engaged in illegal exploitative activities the workers involved should be awarded exemplary compensation and the penalties for the transgressors should be punitive”: concluded Mr. Kearney.
“Frequently the broker holds on to their identity documents while they work long hours for low wages under often appalling abusive conditions.
Deductions from wages for the repayment of the loan, travel costs, accommodation and food, and fines for mistakes, talking while working, etc. eat up much of their income.
“In one case in China the labour broker was taking more than 30% of the wages for repayment of the recruitment fee alone. In another case workers actually ended up owing money to the broker at the month end and after all the deductions had been made.
“Though not naked or in chains but without identity documents, far from home and facing a strange language and culture they are no less slaves.
“The labour brokers are the villains in all this but the garment manufacturer is a willing accomplice and brands and retailers sourcing the goods in this way greatly profit from this traffic slavery.
Mr Kearney called on governments to legislate to ensure decent work and forcefully to implement theresulting rules.
“The activities of labour brokers must be closely regulated. Recruitment fees must be outlawed in line with ILO Convention 181 with the manufacturers meeting all recruitment and travel cost, etc”: he said.
“Every migrant worker should have an employment contract direct with the employer and should enjoy conditions no less favourable than the indigenous workforce.
“Comprehensive advice should be given on rights before departure from the sending country and on arrival in the host country.
“All migrant workers should have the right to join local trade unions and to bargain collectively their wages and working conditions.
“When labour brokers are employers engaged in illegal exploitative activities the workers involved should be awarded exemplary compensation and the penalties for the transgressors should be punitive”: concluded Mr. Kearney.
International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation
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