The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and member of UK parliament Lisa Cameron, chair of the all party parliamentary group for textiles and fashion, recently wrote to the home secretary to demand urgent action over labour exploitation. Garment workers are denied over £2.1million a week, which equates to £27 million in lost earnings since a previous letter in July.
A joint letter, signed by over 50 cross-party MPs and peers as well as a further 40 retailers, investors and non-governmental organisations was sent in July. This letter called for urgent action from the government to introduce a licensing scheme for garment factories in the United Kingdom.The British Retail Consortium and member of UK parliament Lisa Cameron, chair of the all party parliamentary group for textiles and fashion, recently wrote to the home secretary to demand urgent action over labour exploitation. Garment workers are denied over £2.1million a week, which equates to £27 million in lost earnings since a previous letter in July.#
According to the letter, a 'Fit-to-Trade' licensing scheme “would protect workers from forced labour, debt bondage and mistreatment, ensuring payment of National Minimum Wage, VAT, PAYE, National Insurance, holiday pay and health and safety”. This would also encourage retailers to source more of their clothing from the United Kingdom, supporting the development of an ethical, world-leading garment manufacturing industry, BRC said in a press release.
It is estimated that over 10,000 garment factory workers are being paid an average of £3.50 an hour–well below the national minimum wage of £8.72. This violation of workers’ rights cannot be allowed to continue, and government has a key role to play in this, the letter said.
BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: "The BRC has repeatedly called on government?to?do more to prevent labour exploitation in the UK garment manufacturing industry. Despite numerous reports in the media, and a previous letter to the home secretary signed by over 50 MPs & peers and more than 40 retailers, investors and NGOs, we have not seen any significant action from government to bring this injustice to an end. All the while garment workers are robbed of tens of millions of pounds in wages.”
“Right now, we have an opportunity to create a more ethical and sustainable fashion manufacturing industry in the UK, providing better jobs and boosting the economy at a time when it is needed most. It is vital the home secretary takes action to introduce a licensing scheme for UK garment manufacturers and puts the rights of workers at the heart of the industry. Without urgent action thousands more people face exploitation,” Cameron said.
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