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CHENNAI, India (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Sacked from his job at a Pakistani garment factory in the early days of the pandemic, Abdul Wasid was rehired three months later - for lower pay and longer hours. He now has to borrow money to make ends meet.
Wasid’s experience reflects a rollback on labour rights in the global garment industry due to COVID-19 as fashion brands pile pressure on their suppliers and, in turn, on factory workers, according to two new reports by labour advocacy groups.
“I was desperate because I hadn’t earned anything for months after being fired and agreed to everything they said. Now I’m depending on small loans to survive,” Wasid, 35, said by video call from his Karachi home after finishing a 10-hour shift.
DAVID PRATT ON THE WORLD: It s time for rough trading, Myanmar style heraldscotland.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from heraldscotland.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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ETI is a global organization working to define best practice in ethical trade. The organization has acknowledged marked progress in the alternative dispute resolution measures undertaken by Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) listed Kakuzi.
The ETI report stated, “We know how valuable the horticulture export sector is to Kenya and to those whose livelihoods depend on it. We hope that by addressing the legitimate concerns of workers, by building better relationships and stronger working practices, Kakuzi can go from strength to strength based on decent working conditions and a safe work environment. We commend those who have made this agreement possible and urge them to ensure continued progress and transparency for all concerned.”
In turmoil: Workers iron and arrange clothing at a garment factory at Hlaing Taryar industrial zone in Yangon. The garment industry in Myanmar is struggling due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing military coup. Reuters
YANGON: Two years after opening his garment factory in Myanmar, Li Dongliang is on the verge of closing down and laying off his 800 remaining workers.
Business had been struggling because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but after a Feb 1 coup that sparked mass protests and a deadly crackdown, during which his factory was set alight amid a surge of anti-Chinese sentiment, orders stopped.
His story is emblematic of the perilous situation facing a sector critical to Myanmar’s economy, which accounts for a third of its exports and employs 700,000 low-income workers, according to UN data.