and universities will fund the Consortium with a percentage of licensing Please see our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion statement here. Since the time of its inception, the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) has conducted in-depth monitoring and verification of working conditions and issues annual public reports on the factorys compliance.Alta Gracia, and the WRCs robust labor rights monitoring process of the factory, represent an extraordinary step forward in the work to ensure respect for worker rights in global apparel manufacturing. The WRC's team of 24 professionals includes both US-based staff and overseas representatives. For a college or university that collects royalties from a Something went wrong. tough Codes and a powerful enforcement process fully and quickly. Please check the captcha to verify you are not a robot. Buying a home near work is more lucrative than working. WRC Statement in Response to Murder of Shahidul Islam We and our allies worked to pressure brands buying from the factory, and the factory owner, to pay their former workers what they were owed. The chair of the LOC is J. Callahan Watson, Associate Vice President for Public Affairs and Business Policy. The Worker Rights Consortium is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, religious creed, medical/physical/mental condition, veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. The WRC promotes and enforces binding labor standards, the only kind that ever work in the real world. 1990 K Street, NW, Suite 410 Washington, DC 20006. the abuse of cheap labor is a competitive strategy of many companies Updates and Analysis - Worker Rights Consortium The agency is then responsible for verifying the complaint. of Conduct, based on these principles and taking direction from the Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. An Advisory to pull the alarm, signaling to the agency and the public that a violation Throughout As research by the Center for Global Workers Rights has shown, the refusal of brands like Bestseller to honor their obligations, and pay in full, causes factories to suspend or fire workers, often without pay. Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Indeed, many financial advisors tout TJX as a stock to buy during the pandemic. who have significant expertise in the issues surrounding worker abuses The WRC is an equal opportunity employer. the licensee. The Worker Rights Like all brands, Colloseum has an obligation to pay for its in-production and completed goods at the originally agreed upon prices and on the originally agreed upon timelines. Unfortunately, the balance of power in apparel supply chains allows buyers to impose their will on suppliers, a dynamic that is playing out across global supply chains, at enormous cost to suppliers and to workers. Collaborating with field representatives to prepare and revise detailed factory investigation reports in English, based on factory investigations and analysis of national and international legal standards; Coordinating and conducting factory investigations in conjunction with field representatives; this includes interviewing workers and visiting factories in order to interview factory management, conduct a site inspection of the factory, and review factory documents; Writing correspondences and other public communications in English; Editing English-language documents prepared by field representatives and providing feedback; Conducting basic background desk research related to case work; Building and maintaining relationships with partners and coalitions, particularly organizations at the Southeast Asia level and organizations in countries where the WRC does not have a field representative; Supporting field representatives in international advocacy, including arranging international delegations and facilitating responses to press requests; Providing programmatic support to the Field Director for Southeast Asia as needed; and. SITRADAHSA Delta Apparel Honduras Message to the WRC University Caucus. The company chose to prioritize a discretionary gift to shareholderswho it had already rewarded over the last three years with $2.4 billion worth of dividends and stock buybacksover its obligation to pay for the goods it asked suppliers and workers to make. about GuideStar Pro. If the advance payments really do serve to make suppliers financially whole, this would merit a re-evaluation of Bestsellers overall performance with respect to order payments. In 5 of the top 10 apparel-exporting countries to the United . The rights of migrant workers vis--vis their employer arising from employment shall not be impaired by these measures. violation. The WRC conducts independent, in-depth investigations; issues . Worker Rights Consortium | Washington D.C. DC - Facebook Please check your email for further instructions. Nike Signs Factory Access Agreement | Global Labor Justice In its announcement, Primark pledged to pay for about $460 million dollars in orders it had previously canceled. Please check the captcha to verify you are not a robot. Independent This Program was created by a set of landmark agreements between apparel companies, a major manufacturer, unions, and womens groups to address gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) in Lesotho garment factories. Please check your entries and try again. Extrapolating from data available from Bangladesh suggests that the total volume of C&As cancellations, globally, exceeded $1.5 billion, affecting hundreds of suppliers and hundreds of thousands of workers. Reports from suppliers recently received by the WRC indicate that the French brand, Camaeu, failed to pay for completed orders and proceeded with significant retroactive cancellations of in-production orders during the Covid-19 pandemic. Suppliers are still waiting for Colloseum (part of Schulz Fashion) to pay for orders completed prior to pandemic November 24, 2020. system, a large amount of public, self-reported industry information recommendation of sanctions. about their own rights and consistently partner with local worker-allied Unlike most apparel retailers, Asda has been allowed to keep its stores open throughout the crisis and thus does not face the same financial challenges confronting many of its competitors. will be generated. The Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) learned that the workers were out on strike and attempted to investigate the conditions that led to these actions. Levis is providing this access via an expansion of its IFC loan program and the creation of a new loan facility designed to accommodate suppliers ineligible for the IFC program. Achieving decent conditions in supply chains requires systemic reform: supplanting voluntary industry promises with enforceable agreements worldwide and obliging brands to end the price pressure on suppliers that impels abuses. the licensing agreement. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of caste, race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, social background, or medical condition. Of primary importance in Instead, Colloseum has continued to fail to pay for these orders through the present day. Hands-on efforts to develop and implement corrective action plans to improve working conditions, including efforts to convince international customers to require the factories to cease abusive practices; Responding to complaints filed by workers and worker organizations by conducting detailed worker interviews, collecting documents, and researching legal standards that regulate labor law; Carrying out factory investigations, which includes interviewing workers, visiting factories in order to interview factory management, conducting a site inspection of the factory, and reviewing factory documents; Preparing detailed reports to be shared with other members of the WRC staff about the information documented during worker interviews and factory visits; Serving as an observer at meetings and other events related to WRC investigations, taking notes at these activities, and, when required, documenting them with video and photographs; and. The In-depth investigations of labor practices in factories around the world; Public reporting of labor rights abuses where they are identified; Engagement with factories and buyers to develop and implement corrective action plans to improve working conditions, including efforts to convince international customers to require the factories to cease abusive practices; Building and maintaining relationships with unions and worker rights advocates and working to inform workers and worker organizations about how the labor rights codes of conduct governing the behavior of apparel brands can be used as a tool to defend workplace rights; and. TJX Chief Executive Ernie Herrman claims that, due to Covid-19, strategically, nothing will change for the company and that sales in May were higher than they were a year agothanks to T.J. Maxxs push to reopen stores in the midst of the pandemic (85 percent of T.J. Maxx locations had reopened by mid-June). Please check your entries and try again. When Bestseller retroactively cancels an order, in part or in whole, this means large financial losses for the affected supplier. of an effective verification system. Overall, it is clear that C&A has reinstated hundreds of millions of dollars in orders, for which the company deserves credit. We investigate working conditions in factories around the globe. The Children's Place and Kontoor Brands. Trying to put the best possible public face on these destructive practices, Bestseller describes its policy as follows: Bestseller is committed to accept delivery of orders already made and those in production through individual dialogue with all suppliers. What is missing from the statement is a commitment to pay in full for these orders. 1:35. At least three years experience working on human or labor rights issues in Pakistan; Experience conducting field interviews to document violations of workers rights or other human rights; Commitment to the cause of social justice; Proven ability to establish and maintain relationships among unions and/or civil society organizations; Ability to provide written summaries in English of interview findings and worker rights violations; Cover letter (12 pages) explaining your interest in the position and relevant background; Three references (please indicate if you wish to be notified prior to any references being contacted). Join the WRC mailing list to stay updated on our work. Despite the lack of full candor on this issue, it is notable that C&A has not engaged in the aggressively misleading public relations gambits we have seen from some other corporations. broad-based public disclosure, spot investigations force each licensee up the space for workers and their allies to advocate on their own The Worker Rights Consortium will work to develop and revise The WRC is dedicated to ending sweatshop conditions, holding brands and retailers accountable for abuses in their global supply chains, and protecting the rights of workers in factories around the world that produce clothing and other consumer products. Something went wrong. most at risk: countries and regions that suppress workers H&M pledges to end shopfloor sexual violence in India after worker will begin by establishing pilot projects in various regions, based In global manufacturing, regulation usually means self-regulation, with brands inspecting their own suppliers under voluntary standards. China is boycotting H&M, Nike, and other retailers for speaking out Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options. / Links. or not a company has adequately remediated identified violations. The WRCs collectively bargained flexible work policy requires that DC-based staff work from the office for three days per week. Combating Gender-Based Violence in Lesotho, ample resources available to its ownership, $480 million in dividends and stock buybacks, on top of $2.6 billion it paid to shareholders last year, thousands of workers will lose their jobs. Officers, directors, trustees, and key employees. Already have a GuideStar Account? One-time investigations often just cover up poor working conditions. Council is currently being assembled, consisting of representatives exposures will demonstrate a pattern of abuse and jeopardize the licensees wish to impose sanctions in response to violations. United Students Against Sweatshops is convinced Also from CAP. Suppliers have already incurred the cost to produce these goods. According to a new report from the Worker Rights Consortium, however, garment workers like Mr. Ali, Ms. Yi and Ms. Dina Arviah are being denied some or all of these wages. Only an international effort can put an end to China's crimes in Minimum five years of experience working in labor rights, human rights, corporate accountability, social justice, law, journalism, or related field; Based in Southeast Asia (or similar time zone); Fluency in English; able to write reports and correspondence at a professional standard; Willingness to travel frequently within Southeast Asia; Experience conducting investigations to document violations of workers rights or other human rights; Experience working with grassroots organizations and/or worker organizations; Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects; Interest in supporting colleagues to improve their written and spoken English; Highly organized and able to work independently. In the effort to end sweatshop abuses, the Advisory It should be noted that Camaeu was acquired by Financire immobilire bordelaise (FIB), an investment fund which specializes in real estate, in August 2020. into fair treatment in licensees factories. Please check your entries and try again. to each area. Gap Inc. (owner of the Old Navy, Athleta, Banana Republic, and Gap brands) has been listed on this tracker among those corporations that have not made a commitment to pay in full for goods that were in production when the crisis began. Three references; if you wish to be notified prior to any references being contacted, please so indicate. The broad public disclosure of information allows stakeholders the Code. methods for investigating workplaces, etc. We work closely with unions and civil society organizations around the world. The WRC conducts investigations at apparel factories into labor rights violation allegations received from worker organizations and other civil society organizations. be profiting off of abusive working conditions. Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics, Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools, Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations, Revenue and expense data for the current fiscal year, CEO, Board Chair, and Board of Directors information, *with the ability to download the data for 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018. Global Wage Trends for Apparel Workers, 2001-2011 Report. there are tens of thousands of garment factories nestled in dozens and into the relationship with licensees. Something went wrong. Scott Nova,Executive Director nova@workersrights.org, Ben Hensler, General Counsel and Deputy Director for Policy & Research ben.hensler@workersrights.org, Jessica Champagne,Deputy Director for Strategy & Field Operations jessica.champagne@workersrights.org, Rola Abimourched, Deputy Director for Investigations & Gender Equity rola.abimourched@workersrights.org, Liana Foxvog, Director of Supply Chain Strategies liana@workersrights.org, Thulsi Narayanasamy, Director of International Advocacy thulsi.narayanasamy@workersrights.org, Director of Development and Strategic Partnerships vincent@workersrights.org, Sarah Reed, Director of Strategic Research sarah.reed@workersrights.org, Jewher Ilham, Forced Labor Project Coordinator jewher.ilham@workersrights.org, Kimberly Capehart, Director of Administration kimberly.capehart@workersrights.org, Tara Mathur, Field Director, Americas tara@workersrights.org, WRC Field Director, South Asia southasia@workersrights.org, WRC Field Director, Southeast Asia southeastasia@workersrights.org, WRC Field Representative, Bangladesh bangladesh@workersrights.org, WRC Field Representative, Cambodia cambodia@workersrights.org, WRC Field Representative, Central America centralamerica@workersrights.org, WRC Field Representative, Dominican Republic dominicanrepublic@workersrights.org, WRC Field Representative, El Salvador elsalvador@workersrights.org, WRC Field Representative, Ethiopia ethiopia@workersrights.org, WRC Field Representative, India india@workersrights.org, WRC Field Representative, Indonesia indonesia@workersrights.org, WRC Field Representative, Lesotho lesotho@workersrights.org, WRC Field Representative, Myanmar (Burma) myanmar@workersrights.org, WRC Field Representative, Thailand thailand@workersrights.org, WRC Field Representative, Vietnam vietnam@workersrights.org. regions across the world, verification methods must be flexible and One worker said she only earned about half of what she needed to cover basic living . Nike discounts the evidence of, A new report details the impact of the Lesotho Anti-GBVH Program over the past two years. The WRC stands with the international labor rights community in mourning and condemning the devastating murder of longstanding union leader, Shahidul Islam of the Bangladesh Garment and Industrial Workers Federation (BGIWF). This placed suppliers cash flow, and their ability to pay wages, at risk. This can be adjusted based on experience and location. ASEAN nationals are strongly encouraged to apply. The Consortium will require reporting of remediation for workers not to report abusive conditions. or manufacturers which produce, assemble or package finished Licensed For security reasons, the names of some WRC personnel are not listed; these team members, including our investigators outside the United States, can be reached at the email addresses listed below. Direct Ship Americas (DSA) Honduras - Message from an employee who received timely payment of severance. These were goods suppliers had already produced or were in the process of producing. The URBN group has refused requests to clarify their position on order payments and to commit to pay for finished and in production orders at the originally agreed upon prices and on the originally agreed upon terms, even though the companyborrowed $220 millionto preserve cash reserves at the beginning of the pandemic. The Worker Rights In April, sourcing agent Li & Fung communicated to some American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) suppliers, on behalf of the brand, that AEO (American Eagle, Aerie) was imposing a 20 percent price reduction on certain categories of apparel. The Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) is seeking to hire a Communications and Research Associate. cases of such patterns, and termination of contract with specific licensees certainty that all factories are complying with conditions set by the Code. The WRC has compelled brands and their suppliers around the world to implement vital remedies: tens of millions of dollars in back pay, reinstatement for nearly two thousand unjustly fired workers, and far-reaching safety improvements. UC Law SF Students Recognized for Social Justice Work Last week the WRC added TJX (the parent company of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls) to our tracker after receiving a new report from a factory owner of TJXs refusal to pay for finished apparel orders in India. Another important and unanswered question is how C&As owners can justify any cancellations or postponements at all. Our thoughts are with his wife and sons, and the union movement in Bangladesh that he tirelessly dedicated . of recourse. The minimum compensation for this position is $2,700 per month. Bestseller will soon impose new payment terms on suppliers that are considerably worse (90 days versus 40 days from the date goods are shipped) than those Bestseller maintained prior to the pandemic. After earlier reports of TJXs cancellation of orders in Bangladesh, the WRC had written to TJX in mid-April, asking whether TJX plans to pay in full for orders completed and in production with the originally agreed upon prices and terms. abuses, so that workers and their allies have a way to substantiate monitoring, through its participation or endorsement. A Worker Rights Consortium report in April estimated that total severance theft during Covid-19, across the supply chains of global brands and retailers, was $500m to $850m (360m-620m). At this point, the delays present a serious threat to continued factory operations and, therefore, to workers incomes. make dramatic changes in how they produce (or "source") their Scott Nova, executive director of the Workers' Rights Consortium, calls the crisis in Karnataka the worst case of wage theft he has ever witnessed. States Parties shall, when there are migrant workers and members of their families within their territory in an irregular situation, take appropriate measures to ensure that such a situation does not persist. Universities Asda is refusing to accept up to 20 percent of orders that suppliers had already shipped to Asda before the crisis began. must develop their own internal process to comply with these provisions. program, annual dues shall be $1,000. Several months have passed since temporary store closures have ended, and Camaeu has had ample opportunity to rectify this dereliction of responsibility. Consistent with this longstanding tradition, Georgetown has acted to safeguard the rights of workers in factories that produce apparel and other products bearing the name and logos of the University. be applied to licensees that are in violation of Codes of Conduct. According to these suppliers, Camaeu is refusing to reinstate orders of both finished and in-production goods. Thanks for subscribing! The exact amount of outstanding cancellations could not be determined precisely because of conflicts between reports from suppliers and from C&A. fully responsible for all factories producing their products. The WRC was founded in 2000 by student activists including members of United Students Against Sweatshops. payment capped at $50,000 for any individual college or university). The Brenninkmeijers are the richest family in the Netherlands. [4] The convention defines a child as any human being under the age of eighteen, unless the age of majority is . Despite numerous brands and retailers agreeing to pay for orders completed and in production at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Urban Outfitters and its subsidiary brand Anthropologie have been unwilling to make this commitment and have invokedforce majeureto avoid paying for orders. For general inquiries about Georgetown Universitys licensing program, please contact licensing@georgetown.edu. The fact that suppliers agree to such terms is a testament to the power imbalances that define supply chain relationships in the apparel industry. where violations have been found. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Bestseller reports that it is paying suppliers on an accelerated basis10 days after cargo closingfor the three-month period of July, August, and September and claims that the benefits to suppliers of these accelerated payments outweigh the costs of the discounts Bestseller previously imposed. The committee makes recommendations regarding the Universitys relationships with the collegiate products and apparel industry stakeholders. 'Worst fashion wage theft': workers go hungry as Indian suppliers to Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified applicants with disabilities may participate in the application process. The WRC had moved Cotton On Group to the negative side of the tracker last week after multiple requests for recommitment went unanswered. Notably, the company rewarded shareholders with $480 million in dividends and stock buybacks in the weeks immediately preceding the crisis, on top of $2.6 billion it paid to shareholders last year. No single vendor or manufacturer accounted for more than 10% of merchandise purchased during that time. NJ temp workers bill of rights pulled after business lobbying