MSN Publications and Collaborative Work

Global day of action targets apparel and footwear giant adidas

Aug 24, 2022 —

Photo: HBWWF action in Pakistan.

Photo: WU and USW action in Toronto.

Photo: Action organized by multiple groups in Bangladesh.

An international coalition, led by unions in Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India, organized a global day of action for adidas’ anniversary on August 18. As part of the #PayYourWorkers campaign, the coalition is calling on adidas to negotiate directly with unions representing workers in their supply chain to ensure workers are paid and their rights are respected.

Statement in solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka

Jul 26, 2022 —

Photo: Clean Clothes Campaign

Trade unions and worker rights organizations, including the Clean Clothes Campaign, Labour behind the Label, Maquila Solidarity Network, War on Want and Workers United, express our solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka. We stand with them as they confront the political, social, and economic crisis that has engulfed their country, causing extreme hardship and grave concerns for the future.

El Salvador: Bukele administration suspends civil rights and freedoms

Jun 20, 2022 —

Government ministers request an extension of the state of emergency.
(Screenshot of live transmission)

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 other civil and political rights.

Thai garment workers win historic severance settlement financed by Victoria’s Secret

May 26, 2022 —

Photo: Clean Clothes Campaign

Photo: Solidarity Center

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 the largest settlement ever paid in a case of wage theft at an individual factory in the global garment industry.

Levi’s and IKEA are still putting their factory workers' lives at risk nine years later

May 13, 2022 —

May 15 marks nine years since the signing of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. To date, the trailblazing, legally binding agreement has protected over two million garment workers by making sure 1,600 factories in Bangladesh meet safety requirements, but Levi’s and IKEA refuse to sign the now updated agreement.

Despite high profits, adidas engages in wage theft

May 12, 2022 —

Workers call on adidas to #PayYourWorkers.
(Credit: Clean Clothes Campaign)

An estimated 30,000 workers from eight adidas suppliers in Cambodia are still waiting for back pay from March to May 2021, totaling an estimated US$11.7 million.

Nationwide in Cambodia, garment workers producing goods for adidas and other international brands were deprived of an estimated US$109 million in wages during the 2021 lockdown, according to calculations by Cambodian trade unions and the Clean Clothes Campaign. This figure is a projection based on a comprehensive assessment of 114 factories.

Nine years since Rana Plaza, IKEA and Levi's are freeriding on efforts to make factories safe

Apr 22, 2022 —

Nine years ago, on April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh collapsed, killing 1,138 people and exposing the incredibly unsafe labour conditions for factory workers in the garment sector. Today our thoughts are with the survivors of this preventable tragedy, as well as the family members of those who died.

Statement on the closure of two Sri Lankan factories amid severe financial crisis

Apr 14, 2022 —

Koggala factory garment workers during a work
stoppage in November 2021 (CCC)

FTZ & GSEU union meeting with Esquel garment workers at
Koggala Bandaranaike in March 2022. (CCC)

Approximately 1,500 workers employed at two factories – Koggala I and II - owned by Esquel Sri Lanka are facing imminent closure of their workplaces with no assurance that they will be reemployed when the factories are sold to another company.

Accountability for human and labour rights abuses is non-negotiable

Mar 29, 2022 —

Today, two private members’ bills were introduced in Canada’s House of Commons that, if passed, would help protect human and labour rights and the environment in Canadian companies’ global operations and supply chains.

While the Canadian government has thus far failed to address pervasive human and labour rights and environmental issues in Canadian companies’ global operations and supply chains, these two bills could help Canada ensure meaningful and effective corporate accountability:

Workers vote in favour of union democracy at three Mexican factories

Mar 8, 2022 —

August 2021 vote at GM Silao. STPS.

2022 has begun with three important victories in favour of the rights of Mexican workers to freedom of association and collective bargaining, rights that have been strengthened by Mexico’s labour justice reform and the labour chapter of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

The first two wins involve workers at two separate auto factories who voted in free and fair secret-ballot votes in favour of women-led independent unions.

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