Massive protests by students and their supporters in Bangladesh this July and August led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the creation of an interim government headed by Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, raising hopes of an end to repression and the creation of new opportunities for students and workers.

The murder of at least 300 students and other protesters and the detention of thousands were only the most recent instances of government repression against human and labour rights activists, garment workers and union leaders.

On August 14, workers at the Delta Staff Manufacturing garment factory in Nazareno, Mexico voted overwhelmingly in favour of a collective bargaining agreement negotiated by their independent union, the Mexican Worker’s League (La Liga). 548 workers voted to ratify the agreement and only 93 voted against it. The agreement will reportedly provide benefits worth a total of $2.5 million pesos (US$134,000). The factory produces for Gap, Levi’s, Carhartt and Target.

On June 15, 2024, Guatemalan union leader Anastacio Tzib Caal was murdered in Villa Canales, outside of Guatemala City. With a long trajectory of promoting worker rights in the garment industry, Mr. Tzib Caal had recently been elected general secretary of the SITRATEXPIA II union at SAE-A Trading Corporation’s Texpia II factory. The factory produces clothing for several well-known international brands, including Carhartt, Target and Walmart. Other well-known brands, including Gap and Polo Ralph Lauren, are major business partners of SAE-A in Guatemala and internationally.

One year ago, trade union activist Shahidul Islam was attacked and killed in front of the Prince Jacquard Sweaters Ltd factory in Bangladesh. Despite repeated outreach by the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) network to over 50 garment brands identified as sourcing from the factory, the family has received very little compensation from only one of those brands.