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Garment workers trapped in poverty cycle by UK supermarket
– claims ActionAid
Women
workers in Sri Lanka’s garment factories producing school uniforms
for UK retailer Marks and Spencer are struggling to survive on their
monthly wages, according to a new report published by ActionAid
UK.
Garment workers interviewed for Who Pays? The real cost of cheap
school uniforms receive just 2% of the retail cost of a £6
school dress sold in Marks and Spencer.
Anishka Ratwatte, a 25 year old factory worker who makes school
dresses for Marks and Spencer, said: “Almost daily our living
costs are increasing and our wages are not good enough for us to
have a decent life. We work all week and yet we cannot afford the
basic things we need on our salaries.”
According to ActionAid UK, pressure from Marks and Spencer on its
suppliers in Sri Lanka helps to drive down pay and conditions for
workers in the factories there. Dominic Eagleton, policy officer
from ActionAid UK, said: “Pressure from big retailers is squeezing
suppliers the world over. We want investment in Sri Lanka, but it
must be good for the people here, not to just make big profits for
foreign companies.”
ActionAid UK also highlights the discrimination faced by many women
working in garment factories. Over 60% of women garment workers
in Sri Lanka are under 25 and the majority migrate from rural villages
to find work and earn money for their families.
Padmini Weerasuriya, an ex-garment worker who now runs the NGO Women’s
Centre, told ActionAid: “Garment workers get called ‘Juki
badu’ meaning they are slaves to the sewing machines.”
ActionAid UK is calling for the UK government to establish an independent
regulator to keep UK supermarkets buying practices in check and
to get UK supermarkets to acknowledge and tackle the harmful impacts
of their buying practices on workers and suppliers
The Sri Lankan government is to enshrine the rights of workers in
law, and extend legal protection to include temporary and casual
workers
ActionAid is an international anti-poverty agency working in
over 40 countries, taking sides with poor people to end poverty
and injustice together. www.actionaid.org
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