Workers Rights news and archive

Strikes and blockades at Amazon sites in the US and Germany

New York - On Thursday, a strike at several US and German sites of the American online retail giant Amazon began just a few days before the end-of-year holidays, to specifically demand wage increases. The industrial action began at 11:00 GMT in the US on Thursday due to Amazon management's refusal to negotiate with the Amazon Labor Union (ALU),...

Retail

Urban Outfitters and Gymshark among retailers accused of hiring festive workers without basic rights

A new report has accused a number of UK retailers of hiring young “freelance” employees via hiring apps that leave them without basic employment rights. According to The Observer, Urban Outfitters, Gymshark and Uniqlo are understood to be among those carrying out such practices as they fill out staff in preparation for the festive season. Such...

Business

REI comes under fire for allegations of labour rights violations

Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) has become the subject of allegations surrounding “serious and pervasive violations of labour rights in the supply chain”. This is according to a new report by the Students for International Labor Solidarity (SILS) and the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMASS), responding to complaints made by sources...

Business

Oxfam calls on Australian brands to pay living wages to garment workers

An analysis by Oxfam Australia has claimed that a number of notable Australian brands are underpaying their garment workers despite raking in over one billion dollars in revenue last year. According to the nonprofit organisation, Kmart Group, Big W, Cotton On, Rip Curl, Kathmandu owner KMD, Myder and Bonds’ parent company Hanes “still don’t pay...

BusinessFeatured

Uniqlo boss says brand does not use Xinjiang cotton

Fast Retailing’s chief executive, Tadashi Yanai, has claimed that the company’s core brand, Uniqlo, does not use cotton sourced from China’s Xinjiang region in its products. Yanai addressed the concern to the BBC, to which he confirmed that the company was not utilising cotton from this district, before stating: “It gets too political if I say...

Business

Primark boss defends practices as budget fashion brand eyes expansion

Ireland-based budget fashion chain Primark has been criticised for its record on workers' rights and the effect of its low-cost, high-volume model on the environment. But its chief executive Paul Marchant does not agree. "I don't buy the story that we can't be ethical buying from Asia," he told AFP in an interview in Dublin. In the world of...

Business

Amazon workers strike on Black Friday: Workers demand fair wages, climate action

Amazon workers are striking for the fifth time in a row on Black Friday (Friday 29 November). With the campaign 'Make Amazon Pay', the global workforce of the e-commerce giant, in collaboration with unions and activists, wants to call on the company to pay fair wages, respect unions, end the alleged tax advantage and to combat climate change and...

Background

Who makes our clothes? Fashion Production Explained

Ever wondered who actually makes your clothes and how fashion's supply chain impacts workers' lives? This deep dive unpacks how fashion production works and explores what’s needed for meaningful change in the industry. FashionUnited interviewed Kim van der Weerd, a former factory manager with a background in human rights, who advocates for a...

BusinessFeatured

What to expect under the UK’s Employment Rights Bill

A new bill put forth by the UK’s Labour Government is hoping to shake things up in what the administration said will be “the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation”, replacing so-called “out-of-date” employment laws. The Employment Rights Bill is currently in the committee stage in the House of Commons, and is still being debated and...

Business|Interview Featured

This is how O My Bag CEO Paulien Wesselink approaches corporate social responsibility

As a child, Paulien Wesselink often wondered why she couldn't invite her entire class to her birthday party. "I never liked excluding people," says the founder and CEO with a smile during a video call with FashionUnited. This early example of social responsibility forms the foundation for what would later become O My Bag, a Dutch handbag brand...

Business

Minimum wage for Cambodian garment workers to increase

The minimum wage for Cambodian garment workers will increase to 208 dollars per month by 2025. This is an increase of four dollars from 2024, when it was 204 dollars per month. The agreement comes after months of talks between the Cambodian government, led by prime minister Samdech Thipadei, and the National Council on Minimum Wage (NCMW), which...

Business

AAFA and FLA urge interim Bangladesh government to improve worker rights

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) together with the Fair Labor Association (FLA) have issued a joint letter to Bangladesh’s interim government calling on the improvement of worker rights for the country’s garment, footwear and travel goods industries. In a letter to Mohammad Yunus, chief advisor for the interim government of...