Unions ask FIFA to reveal all sources of clothing

Steve Grinter, of the International Textile and Garment Leather Workers' Federation, on Wednesday, 26 August 2009, said that FIFA and the LOC should disclose where the clothing would come from.

He said South African clothing producers would find it difficult to “compete with suppliers from abroad who pay workers peanuts and violate their basic trade union rights”.

Grinter told the Building and Woodworkers' International conference in Johannesburg — whose theme is “Decent Work for 2010” — that much of the clothing would be made in Southeast Asian sweatshops.

“There is now no restriction on the brands (that) place their orders wherever they can find the cheapest source of production. And because the brands don't employ workers directly they take little responsibility for their working conditions.”

The Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers' Union has signed an agreement with the LOC, which guarantees that all producers of FIFA-branded sportswear in SA must comply with the collective bargaining agreement for the industry, and all producers must be members of the clothing industry bargaining council.

The creation of decent work is one of the key priorities of the new government but the construction industry has often been accused of exploiting workers. Unions says abuse is easier in the industry because of casualisation and labour broking.

Joni Musabayana, deputy director of the southern African office of the International Labour Organisation, called on FIFA to ensure workers building the stadiums for next year had decent work. “Decent work is not only a source of personal dignity, family stability, peace in community and economic growth that expands opportunities for productive jobs and enterprise development. Decent work is the first step to ending poverty,” he said.

Source: Business Day

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