Interviews
Report on working conditions in sportswear supply chains released
22 Apr '11
5 min read
Employees Councils are used by employers to undermining freedom of association in Sri Lanka.
Trade Union officials in Indonesia are targeted with huge workloads that are designed to prevent them from conducting union activities at lunch or after work. They face abuse if they fail to meet those targets.
In one factory in the Philippines the majority of the CAL workers unionised and notified the employer. The employer immediately began a sustained harassment of union members and subsequently decided to close the factory without any prior notice or payment of wages, severance payments and benefits due.
Contract and Agency Labour (CAL)
Up to 85% of employees in the factories in Indonesia and the Philippines are employed on short term contracts or on a temporary basis.
Systematic circumvention of the law through the use of 5 month contracts in the Philippines.
CAL workers are paid less, rarely receive legally mandated benefits, and have lower levels of unionisation for fear or non renewal of contracts.
Forced Overtime
Workers in all three countries are frequently forced to work in excess of 100 hours overtime per month.
In Sri Lanka workers at one factory workers are forced to work 130 hours overtime per month - the equivalent of 3 full weeks additional work each month.
At one factory in Indonesia researchers recorded that management had locked 40 workers that failed to meet production targets in a small room, without water or ventilation for 3 hours at time. This is reportedly a regular occurence at the factory.
At the same factory workers are forced to work up to 160 hours overtime per month.
Wages
Not one of the 83 factories surveyed pays a living wage.
30% of surveyed workers in the Philippines are paid below the minimum wage.
CAL workers earn as little as 33% of the wage of a permanent employee.
The wages of some workers in Sri Lanka are linked to productivity targets rather than the legally stipulated daily rates.
At two factories in Indonesia workers would have to work 15-20 years to secure a loyalty bonus to make up for non payment of minimum wage. This bonus has never been paid to a worker.
Gender
On average 76% of the workforce is female
In the Philippines women are more likely to be employed on short term and temporary contracts
4 factories in Sri Lanka forced prospective employees to take pregnancy tests before an offer of employment is made.
Trade Union officials in Indonesia are targeted with huge workloads that are designed to prevent them from conducting union activities at lunch or after work. They face abuse if they fail to meet those targets.
In one factory in the Philippines the majority of the CAL workers unionised and notified the employer. The employer immediately began a sustained harassment of union members and subsequently decided to close the factory without any prior notice or payment of wages, severance payments and benefits due.
Contract and Agency Labour (CAL)
Up to 85% of employees in the factories in Indonesia and the Philippines are employed on short term contracts or on a temporary basis.
Systematic circumvention of the law through the use of 5 month contracts in the Philippines.
CAL workers are paid less, rarely receive legally mandated benefits, and have lower levels of unionisation for fear or non renewal of contracts.
Forced Overtime
Workers in all three countries are frequently forced to work in excess of 100 hours overtime per month.
In Sri Lanka workers at one factory workers are forced to work 130 hours overtime per month - the equivalent of 3 full weeks additional work each month.
At one factory in Indonesia researchers recorded that management had locked 40 workers that failed to meet production targets in a small room, without water or ventilation for 3 hours at time. This is reportedly a regular occurence at the factory.
At the same factory workers are forced to work up to 160 hours overtime per month.
Wages
Not one of the 83 factories surveyed pays a living wage.
30% of surveyed workers in the Philippines are paid below the minimum wage.
CAL workers earn as little as 33% of the wage of a permanent employee.
The wages of some workers in Sri Lanka are linked to productivity targets rather than the legally stipulated daily rates.
At two factories in Indonesia workers would have to work 15-20 years to secure a loyalty bonus to make up for non payment of minimum wage. This bonus has never been paid to a worker.
Gender
On average 76% of the workforce is female
In the Philippines women are more likely to be employed on short term and temporary contracts
4 factories in Sri Lanka forced prospective employees to take pregnancy tests before an offer of employment is made.
Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation (ITGLWF)
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