Workers Rights news and archive

Trade union freedom is still a long way off in fashion: "It's essential that brands sit down with employees"

2023 and 2024 were years of protests for Bangladeshi garment workers. Tens of thousands of workers took to the streets, demanding, among other things, payment arrears and the lack of structural improvements: a living wage, meal allowances, raises for night shifts, and more lenient work duties for pregnant women. These protests were intended to...

Fashion

Milan court orders judicial administration for Loro Piana

Another case of labour exploitation involving a luxury brand has emerged. This time it concerns LVMH-owned brand, Loro Piana. A Milan Court has ordered judicial administration for one year for Loro Piana. Frédéric Arnault has been the CEO of the company since June 10. According to Italian news agency Ansa, the measure taken by the judges of the...

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From volume to value: Bangladesh's garment strategy amid trade turmoil

Bangladesh’s garment industry seeks to shed its low-cost, large quantity image as it aims to capture higher-value business. At Best of Bangladesh, a fair and conference in the heart of Amsterdam, manufacturers and government officials advertised the world’s second largest garment producer’s transition, hoping to gain more business amid global...

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Fashion

In Italy, a new protocol is introduced to combat exploitation in fashion production

On May 26, Luca Sburlati, the president of the Italian textile association Confindustria Moda, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at tackling illegality and exploitation in the local fashion production chain. With this, the Confindurstria Moda thus confirms its full willingness to collaborate with public institutions and other...

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Working conditions: Dior not guilty, but to pay two million euros

Rome - The Italian Competition Authority on Wednesday ordered luxury brand Dior to pay two million euros in aid to “victims of exploitation” as part of an investigation into the working conditions of its subcontractors, but ruled out any “infraction”. An investigation had been opened in July 2024 by the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) “...

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Zara’s 50th birthday becomes day of protest for Inditex employees

To mark the 50th anniversary of Zara, employees from various fashion chains owned by the Spanish Zara parent company Inditex took to the streets in La Coruña, Spain. They protested against what they see as a “gradual” reduction of their labour rights by the company's management. The group is publicly accused of deliberately disadvantaging sales...

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Shein bans cotton from unapproved regions for US

Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein has introduced new rules for sourcing cotton in products destined for the US market, Reuters reports. The company announced that cotton will now only be sourced from approved regions, such as the US, India, Brazil and Australia. Pressure is mounting for Shein to be more transparent about its supply chain,...

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Survivors of the earthquake in Türkiye now receive compensation

The Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) Türkiye, a non-governmental organisation that protects workers' rights in the global supply chain, reports in a press release that a number of workers who survived the devastating 2023 earthquake in southeastern Turkey and Syria, which killed over 50,000 people, have finally been compensated by their employer....

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New report unveils child labour concerns at Indian cotton farms

A new report by Transparentem has brought forth worrying allegations of child labour, abusive working conditions and wage violations at Indian cotton farms linked to 60 global brands. The organisation’s initial investigation began in 2022 and ran until March 2023, with the report further underlining companies’ efforts to remediate the issues as...

Retail

Retailers halt use of gig economy apps following trade union backlash

A number of UK retailers have reportedly stopped using gig economy apps like YoungOnes and Temper to hire freelance retail workers after unions criticised the method. According to the Guardian, Uniqlo, Gymshark and Lush are believed to have halted the use of these apps after just a short period of time. It seems that the decisions came as a...

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Italy: Audit system for luxury companies raises questions

Following the scandal surrounding working conditions at certain subcontractors of luxury brands based in Italy, Reuters is shedding light through an investigation on the audit system of large luxury groups that is deemed to be "failing". Last June, Dior, Armani and many other luxury brands were accused of collaborating with subcontractors who do...

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British lawmakers to question Shein over working conditions

As Shein looks to list on the London Stock Exchange, a British parliamentary committee plans to probe the company over the rights of workers in its supply chain, Reuters reported on January 2, adding that the all-party Business and Trade Committee will also probe the Temu marketplace . On January 7, Yinan Zhu, Shein’s general counsel for Europe,...