^{#PayYourWorkers campaign calls on adidas to end wage theft in supply chain.}

Dear friends,

We are writing to share some important updates on our work over the past few months. In this update, we profile exciting news about an historic win for garment workers who sewed for lingerie giant Victoria Secret  in the largest settlement ever for wage theft occurring in a single garment factory.

The global #PayYourWorkers campaign, in which MSN is an active participant, celebrates this huge victory and continues to work for more systemic change by pushing clothing and footwear brands to sign a legally binding agreement to ensure that workers receive their full wages and severance pay so they are not left empty-handed when factories close. Over the coming months, the campaign will ramp up pressure on German footwear and apparel company adidas, calling on the company to sign an agreement to eliminate wage theft in its supply chain.

As part of our monitoring and assessment of the implementation of Mexico's long-promised labour justice reform, we are pleased to share news of precedent-setting victories for independent unions in two auto factories. As workers continue to exercise their new voting rights, you can access regularly updated information on important cases on our new webpage, Worker Votes under Mexico’s Labour Justice Reform.

Along with our international allies, we continue to work closely with Sri Lankan unions as they lobby for income protection for garment workers impacted by the country’s unprecedented political and economic crisis. Workers are facing spikes in inflation and growing scarcity of essential items such as food, power, and fuel for cooking.

Below we highlight disturbing news about the human rights violations committed under the El Salvador government’s extended state of emergency, under which certain political and civil rights are suspended.

Meanwhile in Nicaragua, MSN’s long-term partner, the Maria Elena Cuadra Movement of Working and Unemployed Women (MEC), is continuing to support the rights of women maquila workers, despite having its legal status revoked and Managua office confiscated by the Ortega regime. In recognition of its nearly 30 years of efforts to improve the lives and working conditions of women workers, MEC has been nominated for an international health and safety award.

We will keep you informed on these and other issues related to our work. 

Lynda Yanz, for the MSN team

Photo: Solidarity Center and Thai workers celebrate historic agreement.

Thai workers win historic settlement with Victoria’s Secret

After thirteen months of worker protests and international campaigning, workers from the Brilliant Alliance Thai Global garment factory have finally been paid the US$8.3 million they are legally owed. Victoria's Secret, whose lingerie were produced at the factory, financed the payments through a loan arrangement with the workers’ former employer.

“This is a huge victory for the workers and a testament to the courage of their union and the strength of the international solidarity campaign that supported them,” said David Welsh of the Solidarity Center.

Photo: Workers call on adidas to #PayYourWorkers.

Brands should sign binding agreement on wages, severance

An important study published by Cornell University’s New Conversations Project has confirmed the need for brands and retailers to sign a legally binding and enforceable agreement on wages, severance and freedom of association.

Cases of wage theft and failure to pay legal severance have increased exponentially during the pandemic. While workers struggle to provide for their families, many global brands have made record profits over the past few years.

Over the coming months, the #PayYourWorkers campaign will focus its efforts on adidas and its role in wage theft in Cambodia. Despite the pandemic, adidas’ revenue increased 15% in 2021 to US$22.35 billion. Adidas and its shareholders have a responsibility to invest a significant share of the company’s profits to ensure that the workers who make their products are paid their full wages and legally owed severance.

Photo: Panasonic workers vote for independent union.

Independent unions score victories in Mexico's auto sector

Two Mexican democratic unions have won precedent-setting victories in auto factories in Mexico’s northern maquila region.

On May 25-26, workers at the giant General Motors pick-up truck factory in Silao, Guanajuato voted overwhelmingly in favour of their first authentic collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which was negotiated by their newly-elected democratic union, SINTTIA. The agreement provides for an 8.5% wage increase, plus 2.5% in monetary benefits.

On June 18, SNITIS, the democratic union at the Panasonic auto parts plant in Reynosa, Tamaulipas announced that it had reached agreement with the employer on a new CBA, which will provide for a 9.5% wage increase plus a one-time bonus of 3.5%. The CBA has yet to be ratified by the workers.

Both of these important victories were the result of years of struggle by the workers, with the support of their national and international allies, for the right to be represented by a union of their free choice and to bargain collectively. In both cases, violations of their new voting rights under Mexico’s reformed labour law were the subject of complaints filed by the US government under the trinational trade agreement (CUSMA) rapid response mechanism.

You can read more about worker votes in Mexico on our new webpage.

Photo: Government ministers request extension of state of emergency.

El Salvador violates human rights under state of emergency

A June 2 Amnesty International report finds that El Salvador’s government is committing massive human rights violations under the current state of emergency, which has suspended the rights to freedom of association and assembly, privacy in communication, and legal representation, among others.

The state of emergency was imposed on March 27, 2022 after a surge in gang violence and homicides. Human rights groups have since documented thousands of arbitrary detentions and violations of due process, as well as torture and ill-treatment. At least 40 people have died in state custody.

Authorities have imprisoned over 39,000 people suspected of varying degrees of gang activity; however, rights groups and community members have raised concerns about arbitrary arrests and the targeting of people based on their appearance or where they live. Garment workers are among those that have been arbitrarily arrested at factories and hauled off to prison.

MSN joins other international organizations is expressing our concern for the ongoing human right violations under the state of emergency, which the government has now extended until the end of July.

Photo: MEC

MEC nominated for international award

In our March 8th International Women’s Day update, we reported on the Ortega regime’s cancellation of the legal status of MSN’s long-term Nicaraguan partner the Maria Elena Cuadra Movement of Working and Unemployed Women (MEC).

Since 2018, the regime has terminated the legal status of nearly 400 civil society organizations, including 40 women’s organizations.

Recently, MEC’s Managua office was confiscated by the Nicaraguan state, a decision that MEC is appealing. MEC’s director, Sandra Ramos, has declared her organization’s determination to continue to provide training and support to women workers in the country’s maquila sector.

In recognition of its ground-breaking work in support of the rights and health of women maquila workers, MEC has been nominated for the American Public Health Association’s 2022 International Health and Safety Award.