Gap Inc., owner of Athleta, Banana Republic, Gap and Old Navy brands, has become the 65th company to sign the Pakistan Health and Safety Accord, but other major North American brands and retailers whose products are made in Pakistan have been slow to commit to this life-saving initiative. 

The Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN) joins with Honduran and international trade union and labour rights organizations in condemning the June 24 massacre in Choloma, Cortés, Honduras that left 13 people dead, including four union leaders from the Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Empresa Gildan San Miguel (SITRAGSAM). The union leaders were Xiomara Beatriz Cocas, president of SITRAGSAM, and union delegates Delmer Josué García (former SITRAGSAM president), José Rufino Ortiz, and Lester Arnulfo Almendarez.

This April 24 marks the tenth anniversary of the tragic and preventable Rana Plaza disaster, in which at least 1,138 garment workers were killed and more than 2,500 were seriously injured when the building housing five garment factories collapsed. We stand in solidarity with the survivors and families of those who died as they honour and remember their loved ones. 

Independent unions at five manufacturing facilities in Mexico, most of which are in the auto manufacturing and auto parts sectors, have recently negotiated significant wage increases for their members. 

Contributing factors that helped achieve these victories are: 1) the right of workers under Mexico’s labour justice reform to vote by secret ballot on existing collective bargaining agreements and in union representation elections, and 2) the right to file complaints if workers’ associational rights are violated under the tri-national trade agreement.