More Updates

Remembering the Rana Plaza tragedy and supporting workers' rights during the Pandemic

Apr 24, 2020 —

Image: Clean Clothes Campaign

Today, on the seventh anniversary of the devastating collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Dhaka, Bangladesh, MSN joins with the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) global network in remembering the 1,134 garment workers who were killed and all their family members and others affected by this preventable tragedy.

COVID-19: Call to Action a First Step toward Mitigating Impact of Pandemic on Workers

Apr 22, 2020 —

Image: Kalpona Akter, Bangladesh Centre for Worker Solidarity

On April 22, the International Organization of Employers (IOE), International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and Global Unions announced a joint call to action by garment industry employer and worker organizations, major garment brands and retailers aimed at mitigating the catastrophic impact that the Covid-19 pandemic is having on the heath and livelihoods of workers in the global garment industry. COVID-19: Action in the Global Garment Industry sets out urgent priorities and includes some general commitments from brands and retailers.

¡Reyna Presente!

Apr 14, 2020 —

On April 3, 2020, Mexican maquila workers lost an indefatigable champion of their labour and human rights, Reyna Ramírez Sánchez. Reyna was a much loved and respected long-term MSN friend and ally, whose tenacity, creativity and fervour for justice left an impact on all who worked with her, and will be sorely missed.

¡Reyna Presente!

Apr 14, 2020 —

On April 3, 2020, Mexican maquila workers lost an indefatigable champion of their labour and human rights, Reyna Ramírez Sánchez. Reyna was a much loved and respected long-term MSN friend and ally, whose tenacity, creativity and fervour for justice left an impact on all who worked with her, and will be sorely missed.

Demandas por el COVID-19 en defensa de trabajadoras(es) de la confección en las cadenas globales de aprovisionamiento

Apr 14, 2020 —

La red global de la Campaña Ropa Limpia (CCC) ha elaborado una serie de demandas a las marcas, tiendas, tiendas por internet y gobiernos para mitigar los efectos de la crisis en las cadenas globales de aprovisionamiento causada por el COVID-19 y para crear sistemas más fuertes que funcionen para las trabajadoras(es) en el futuro.

Brands and retailers need to step up now to protect garment workers

Apr 13, 2020 —

Image: CCC

MSN is joining with other organizations in the world-wide Clean Clothes Campaign network in calling for action from brands, retailers, governments and other stakeholders to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on those most exploited in global supply chains and to build towards a future in which workers have access to living wages and a social safety net.

Labour and Human Rights Groups Urge Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives and Business Associations in the Apparel Sector to Adopt Transparency Requirements (March 2019)

Mar 15, 2020 —

Author: Clean Clothes Campaign, Human Rights Watch, IndustriALL, International Corporate Accountability Roundtable, International Labor Rights Forum, International Trade Union Confederation, Maquila Solidarity Network, UNI Global Union, Worker Rights Consortium

IWD: Tens of Thousands of Mexican women take part in one-day strike against femicide

Mar 13, 2020 —

Photo: Carmen Valadez from Tijuana
Home page photo: Frente Feminista Nacional
 

 

On Sunday, March 8th, women around the world took to the streets to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) and demand the end of gender-based violence and discrimination. Throughout Latin America, women’s movements organized massive protests on March 8 and one-day strikes on Monday, March 9.  

Brands still refusing to compensate workers abandoned in 2018 LD factory closure

Feb 25, 2020 —

Two years after the LD garment factory in El Salvador closed unexpectedly, the 824 workers who lost their jobs are still waiting to be paid the remaining US$1.7 million they are legally owed in outstanding severance.

While a partial payment of US$600,000, was paid by Global Brands Groups (GBG), the intermediary who placed the orders with LD for Levi’s, Ralph Lauren, Walmart, and PVH, owner of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, workers’ and labour rights organizations’ demands for full payment of the outstanding debt have been unmet.

Labour rights groups demand brand accountability for deadly factory fire in India

Feb 21, 2020 —

Photo: CCC

On February 8, a fire broke out in the Nandan Denim factory in Ahmedabad, India. Severe security defects left workers scrambling to escape through the only available exit, a ladder leading to the outside, once again drawing attention to serious fire and safety concerns of Indian garment industry.

Labour organizations are calling for compensation for the families of the killed workers and workers in terms of income loss and medical costs, which is a stipulation of ILO Convention 121 on employment injury benefits.

Bangladesh: Struggle for Living Wage and Anti-Union Repression

Feb 15, 2020 —

Photo: Clean Clothes Campaign

Workers’ fight for decent wages has been ongoing in Bangladesh, as has government repression whenever workers organize to achieve improved wages and working conditions.

In December 2016, worker protests for decent wages were met with violent crackdowns by national and industrial police forces. Despite the repression, workers have continued to mobilize and lobby industry and government for substantial increases to the country’s minimum wage.

Mexican artist Isabel Cabanillas de la Torre killed in Ciudad Juarez

Feb 12, 2020 —

Foto: Hijas de su Maquilera Madre

Protests across the Mexico-U.S. border have been sparked by the murder of Isabel Cabanillas de la Torre, a Mexican artist and member of Hijas de su Maquilera Madre, a feminist collective fighting against femicide, some of whose members include the daughters of women maquila workers who were among the first victims of femicide in Ciudad Juarez. 

Brands and civil society groups raise concerns over changes to Cambodia’s trade union law

Jan 25, 2020 —

Two separate joint letters have been sent by international civil society organizations and global apparel and footwear brands to Cambodian Prime Minister, Samdech Hun Sen, expressing their concerns regarding recent amendments to the country’s Law on Trade Unions, which were approved by the Cambodian Senate in early December 2019.

The first letter, dated December 18, 2019, was co-signed by 36 Cambodian and international civil society organizations, including MSN, and the second by 23 global brands and multi-stakeholder organizations with an interest in Cambodia.

Precedent-setting Agreements Reached in Lesotho on Gender-based Violence at Work

Oct 30, 2019 —

Photo: Workers Rights Consortium Sam Mokhele, General Secretary, NACTWU; Thusoana Ntlama, Program Coordinator, FIDA; May Rathakane, Deputy General Secretary, IDUL; Libakiso Matlho, National Director, WLSA; Daniel Maraisane, Deputy General Secretary, UNITE

On August 15, 2019, a number of complementary, legally binding agreements were signed to launch a pilot program aimed at eliminating sexual harassment and gender-based violence in five major garment and textile factories in the Southern African country of Lesotho.

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