Australian big fashion and clothing brands urged to sign on to international accord to stop garment worker exploitation.
The union representing workers in the garment industry is calling on five major Australian companies who manufacture clothing overseas to sign a new international accord to prevent worker exploitation in the industry.
The companies on the list own some of Australia’s biggest fashion brands, including Peter Alexander, Just Jeans, Dotti, Portmans and City Chic.
The former Bangladesh accord has now been renegotiated and extended to other countries. The new International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile and Garment sector has been signed by all but four Australian companies who had previously signed the Bangladesh accord.
Those companies are:
· Design Works
· Licensing Essentials Pty Ltd
· Specialty Fashion Group
· The Just Group
Textiles, Clothing and Footwear National Secretary of the CFMEU Manufacturing Division, Jenny Kruschel, said there were major compliance and safety issues in the garment manufacturing industry globally.
“No company or brand should make profits at the expense of workers,” Jenny Kruschel said.
“The accord ensures safe workplaces, and helps prevent exploitation of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.
“These companies have done the right thing in the past and signed the previous accord that was put in place after the Rana Plaza tragedy in Bangladesh.
“We call on them to now sign on to the new code, which will protect more workers in more countries, as well as their own brands.”
