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A group of clothing multinationals have signed a deal with unions in Indonesia guaranteeing the rights to form a union and to bargain collectively in their supply chains in the country’s textile industry.
Firms including Adidas, Nike and Puma have pledged, under the auspices of the Play Fair campaign, which is promoting workers’ rights in the run-up to the London Olympics in 2012, recognition of the right to freedom of association, and the multiple problems of its implementation in Indonesia, where anti-union activities is common in factories.
The joint commitment says that the pledge ‘to uphold the right to freedom of association requires transparency and accountability between workers, suppliers and brands, which will in the long run be beneficial to all parties’.
In addition to the agreed non-interference of employers, union activists will also be given time off, use of meeting and office space, use of company vehicles, and provision for announcements in factory spaces under the agreement.
One prominent Indonesian trade unionist, Lilis Mahmudah, said: ‘This protocol is important because our law does not cover technical implementation of freedom of association. The agreement will ensure brands take responsibility to ensure respect for union rights.’
The Play Fair campaign says it will monitor progress carefully, however. It said: ‘Whilst the signing of this freedom of association protocol is an important step, the real test for hundreds of thousands of Indonesian sportswear workers facing low wages and poor conditions, will be in the successful implementation of the agreement across all sportswear supplier factories.’
Firms including Adidas, Nike and Puma have pledged, under the auspices of the Play Fair campaign, which is promoting workers’ rights in the run-up to the London Olympics in 2012, recognition of the right to freedom of association, and the multiple problems of its implementation in Indonesia, where anti-union activities is common in factories.
The joint commitment says that the pledge ‘to uphold the right to freedom of association requires transparency and accountability between workers, suppliers and brands, which will in the long run be beneficial to all parties’.
In addition to the agreed non-interference of employers, union activists will also be given time off, use of meeting and office space, use of company vehicles, and provision for announcements in factory spaces under the agreement.
One prominent Indonesian trade unionist, Lilis Mahmudah, said: ‘This protocol is important because our law does not cover technical implementation of freedom of association. The agreement will ensure brands take responsibility to ensure respect for union rights.’
The Play Fair campaign says it will monitor progress carefully, however. It said: ‘Whilst the signing of this freedom of association protocol is an important step, the real test for hundreds of thousands of Indonesian sportswear workers facing low wages and poor conditions, will be in the successful implementation of the agreement across all sportswear supplier factories.’
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