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MAJOR retail brands such as Next and Nike are continuing to profit while Sri Lankan garment workers in their supply chains face in-work poverty, according to War on Want.
A British trade union delegation organised by social justice charity War on Want, including Unite and the Scottish TUC, met with workers, unions and women-led movements in Sri Lanka during November.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Ruth Ogier, the justice campaign’s head of programmes, said: “Western fashion brands must increase pay for their workers by sharing their vast profits with those who generate them.”
Anton Marcus, the joint secretary of the Free Trade Zone and General Services Employees Union, said: “The government intends to introduce tougher labour laws — including a longer working week and three days’ unpaid holidays. All with the same targets to meet.”
Jayani Fernando of the Dabindu Collective talked of the pressure that workers were under: “After being continually verbally abused by a supervisor at work one woman couldn’t bear it any more and tried to slit her wrists.”
Unite’s East Midlands regional secretary Paresh Patel said: “Garment workers in Sri Lanka face many of the same issues as those in the UK.
“We need a joined up international approach.”