abusesaffiliationarrow-downarrow-leftarrow-rightarrow-upattack-typeburgerchevron-downchevron-leftchevron-rightchevron-upClock iconclosedeletedevelopment-povertydiscriminationdollardownloademailenvironmentexternal-linkfacebookfiltergenderglobegroupshealthC4067174-3DD9-4B9E-AD64-284FDAAE6338@1xinformation-outlineinformationinstagraminvestment-trade-globalisationissueslabourlanguagesShapeCombined Shapeline, chart, up, arrow, graphLinkedInlocationmap-pinminusnewsorganisationotheroverviewpluspreviewArtboard 185profilerefreshIconnewssearchsecurityPathStock downStock steadyStock uptagticktooltiptwitteruniversalityweb

Diese Seite ist nicht auf Deutsch verfügbar und wird angezeigt auf English

Artikel

6 Apr 2022

Autor:
Bharathy Singaravel, The News Minute

India: Dalit women-led union TTCU celebrates 'historic' binding agreement with H&M on gender-based violence

"H&M signs historic agreement with TN supplier to end gender violence in garment factories", 6 April 2022

[...]

Thivya Rakini, state president of TTCU, told TNM, “I see the agreement as historic in the labour rights movement. Largely, in the garment industry, both buyers (clothing brands) and suppliers see trade unions as a problem. Often suppliers are only concerned with losing buyers because of trade union activities. For over a year now, we have spent many sleepless nights because of the time difference, in order to be on video calls with trade unions in other countries to convince them to stand with us in solidarity. About 97 such trade unions gave their support. So, not only in India, but we have fought for this issue — an issue of caste and gender — to be heard in as many countries that the brand works with as possible. AFWA and GLJ-ILRF have played a critical role in helping us do this.” 

Thivya adds that for the first time a brand has come on board as a stakeholder for combatting GBVH. “We understood that it’s the brand that makes several times the profit that a supplier company does, so it should be them who are the first stakeholders who are accountable. That we have managed to make that happen is one of the biggest victories of this agreement,” she said.

Thivya also explains how harrowing negotiations in sexual harassment cases have been over the years and what TTCU hopes will change. “Normally it’s left to us and the supplier company to sort out. Often at some point, we have to give up on the negotiations: say, if a company has agreed to offer, Rs 10,000 as compensation, they will give only Rs 7,000 or Rs 8,000. We have to just be satisfied with that,” she explained. With the new agreement in place, Thivya said that the process has become transparent. For this, it is the shop-floor monitors who are the first line of defence.

“So far, it’s been an Internal Committee (IC) constituted by the company or an NGO working on behalf of the company that we’ve had to work with [for cases of sexual harassment]. Now, the shop-floor monitors will not only be able to give advice to a worker on how to access and navigate grievance mechanisms, but also be monitoring for any form of retaliation against a worker who has raised a complaint. And finally, if the shop-floor monitors conclude that no proper measures are being taken to redress the complaint, TTCU will step in and take the issue forward,” Thivya said.

[...]

Zeitleiste

Informationen zum Datenschutz

Diese Website verwendet Cookies und andere Web-Speichertechnologien. Sie können Ihre Datenschutzeinstellungen unten festlegen. Die Änderungen werden sofort wirksam.

Weitere Informationen über unsere Nutzung von Webspeicherung finden Sie in unserer Richtlinie zur Datennutzung und Cookies

Strictly necessary storage

ON
OFF

Necessary storage enables core site functionality. This site cannot function without it, so it can only be disabled by changing settings in your browser.

Analytics-Cookie

ON
OFF

When you access our website we use Google Analytics to collect information on your visit. Accepting this cookie will allow us to understand more details about your journey, and improve how we surface information. All analytics information is anonymous and we do not use it to identify you. Google provides a Google Analytics opt-out add on for all popular browsers.

Promotional cookies

ON
OFF

We share news and updates on business and human rights through third party platforms, including social media and search engines. These cookies help us to understand the performance of these promotions.

Ihre Privatsphäre-Einstellungen für diese Website

Diese Website verwendet Cookies und andere Web-Speichertechnologien, um Ihre Erfahrung über die notwendigen Kernfunktionen hinaus zu verbessern.