Labour Behind the Label

1
Labour Behind the Label

• China, Labour Rights and the Beijing Olympics
• www.labourbehindthelabel.org
  www.playfair2008.org

2
Labour Behind the Label

• A coalition of trade unions, NGOs, consumer
  groups and campaigners
• Our aim to support garment workers worldwide to
  improve conditions in the industry.
• Activities - campaigning, policy and lobbying
  - solidarity work -research -
  education
• UK platform of Clean Clothes Campaign

3
Labour rights in China

• low wages
• long hours
• no freedom of association
• health and saftey
• child labour

4
Why focus on the Olympics?

• Olympic charter guarantees fair play
• to create a way of life based on the joy of
  effort, the educational value of good example and
  respect for universal fundamental ethical
  principles.
• Olympics earns hundreds of millions of pounds
  workers are not getting their fair share
• Labour rights abuses well documented in Olympic
  supply chains over last 10 years.
• Opportunity to push the entire sportswear
  industry to improve workers rights.

5
China Broken promises?

• Bejing Olympics promised to improve human
  rights record
• IOC refusing responsibility
• All Beijing merchandise to be produced in China.
• Repression of labour rights

6
PlayFair 2008 The Campaign

• Campaign organised by the CCC, ITGLWF and the
  ITUC
• Biggest anti sweatshop campaign over 120 groups
  from 35 different countries are involved in the
  campaign.
• Activities included SMS and e-actions,
  demonstrations, worker exchanges, research and
  actions.

7
PlayFair 2008 Our demands

• International Olympics Committee
• Olympic hosts must have ratified international
  conventions
• contractual clauses on labour standards
• commit resources to research and improvement of
  labour conditions
• publicly support the need to improve working
  conditions in the sportswear industry.

8
Play Fair 2008 Our demands

• National Olympic Associations
• Work through the IOC to put in place mechanisms
  for ending abusive and exploitative practices
• publicly discloses companies with which it has
  licensing, sponsorship and marketing agreements,
  disclose production locations and ensure
  compliance with labour standards.
• Use influence with sports companies to support
  improvements in standards.

9
Play Fair 2008

• Industry targets
• Adopt sourcing policies that require suppliers
  and their sub-contractors to respect
  internationally recognized labour standards
• Maintain production in unionized6 facilities, and
  when expanding production, give preference to
  locations where trade union rights are respected
  in law and practice.
• Undertake concrete steps to address the living
  wage issue
• Inform the public about the working conditions in
  which the products that they market are made and
  disclose production locations
• ensure that work performed in their respective
  supply chain is performed under the protections
  provided by a recognised employment relationship
  and internationally recognised labour standards

10
Playfair 2008 Our demands

• Governments
• immediate ratification (where they are not
  ratified) and full application of all relevant
  ILO Conventions
• implement policies that promote socially
  responsible behaviour in international business
  activity
• Promote respect for workers rights in
  international and bilateral treaties and trade
  agreements

11
Playfair 2008 Our demands

• Chinese Government
• Live up to the 'promise' made on securing the
  Olympics to improve human rights
• Ratify and fully implement ILO conventions 87 and
  98
• End labour rights abuses such as discrimination
  against or harassment, dismissal or detention of
  labour activists
• Commit to serious and sustained improvement in
  health and safety at work.
• End the systematic discrimination of domestic
  migrant workers
• Abolish the Re-education through Labour (RTL)
  system.
• Release all detained labour activists.

12
London 2012 Can we raise the bar?

• London 2012 Campaign starts now!
• Promised a sustainable Olympics
• Lobbying already begun so far not promising
• Contract agreement to be completed by 2009 need
  to act now.

13
Get involved!

• Get your union to sign up as campaign supporters
  see www.playfair2008.org
• Distribute information, postcards and materials
• Help us lobby London...
• Join actions organised by UK coalition.