Freedom of Association

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.

Independent Mexican union wins vote at GM Silao

Feb 4, 2022 —

Unions and other worker rights organizations show their solidarity with
GM workers near the plant in Silao. Credit: Arturo Left and Ulises Vidal

The independent union SINTTIA has won a precedent-setting vote among four unions competing to represent over 6,000 workers at the GM Silao pickup truck factory in Guanajuato, Mexico in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.

In the highly anticipated February 1-2 vote, 4,192 out of the 5,478 votes cast were for SINTTIA, 932 and 247 respectively for two unions linked to Mexico’s largest official union confederation, the CTM. A third union affiliated with Mexico’s second largest official union confederation, the CROC, only received 18 votes.

New union-employer agreement in Sri Lanka addresses key worker rights issues

Jan 6, 2022 —

On December 23, garment worker unions in Sri Lanka signed a ground-breaking agreement with the employer organization Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) that addresses vitally important workplace issues for garment workers, especially during the pandemic.

In a joint statement, Clean Clothes Campaign, Labour behind the Label, Maquila Solidarity Network, Solidarity Center, War on Want, and Workers United welcome the important progress the union-employer agreement represents.

Pages