Let’s Clean Up Fashion
In August 2008, Labour Behind the Label and War on want expressed concern at the poverty wages paid to overseas workers amid a price war over cheap school uniforms between Tesco (£3.50) and Asda (£4.00). Two months earlier, research from the two organisations claimed employees making Tesco clothes in the Indian city of Bangalore toiled long hours for as little as 3200 rupees (£38.00) a month- well below a living wage. Research for War on Want, commissioned by Labour Behind The Label, found staff toiled 80 hour weeks for 5p an hour making clothes for Primark, Tesco and Asda in the Bangadeshi capital Dhaka.
Just before London Fashion Week in September, the third update to the annual survey ‘Lets clean up fashion ‘ was published by the campaign group Labour Behind the Label. It rates 27 high-street stores on their progress towards ensuring workers in their supply chains earn a living wage.
According to the report, many people who make our clothes live in poverty, usually earning just half of what they need to meet their basic needs and those of their families. And, ten years since the bulk of the industry signed up tot he principle that all workers should earn living wages, little has been done to make that principle a reality.
No brand or retailer is systematically ensuring that workers in its supply chain earna living wage. Over half the retailers that responded to the were however able to cite specific actual or planned projects that were aimed at raising workers’ wages. Here is how the high street breaks down:
Two cheers: work to increase wages but not enough yet: Five retailers: Monsoon, Accessorize,Gap, Marks and Spencer, Next and New Look- say they plan detailed projects to improve pay, though the latter four are focusing on productivity improvements.
One cheer: mention of work on living wages but unconvincing so far, five more: Sainsbury’s, Asda, Primark, Tesco and Arcadia (Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Miss Selfridge, Outfit, Topshop, Topman and Wallis) claim they will do something, back lack concrete information.
No work to speak of on living wages: Of the retailers surveyed, those with the biggest market share- ten admitted they had no plans to do anything about garment employees’ poverty wages. These are Clarks, Debenhams, French Connection, House of Fraser, John Lewis, Laura Ashley, Matalan, Mosaic Fashions, River Island and Levi Strauss & Co. Levi’s has decided against work on a living wage.
Nothing to say at all: Seven retailers did not respond to the survey to make any information public- Alexon, BHS, Burberry, Ethel Austin, MK One, Peacocks and Stylo.
Martin Hearson, the report’s author for the campaign group Labour Behind The Label, said, ” The Fashion Industry is split between companies that recognise the problem of poverty wages and are taking actionto fix it, and those that aren’t. As the gap widens, the do-nothing brands like French Connection, River Island, Matalan and Peacocks are going to be left further and further behind.
Ruth Tanner, campaigns and policy Director at War on want said: “We welcome apparent moves towards better pay and will keep a close eye on their development. But widespread shameful inaction shows why the British Government must introduce regulation to ensure a living wage for overseas workers supplying UK Companies”.
Article cited in New Consumer, November/December 2008, www.ethicalconsumer.org. alink to the full copy of the report is available from www.labourbehindthelabel.org
