DaisyRox Blog: Fair trade jewellery, why bother?

29/9/2010

Producer of the nation's favourite cuppa is accused of violating human rights after three worker deaths in India.

Tetley's parent company Tata is facing calls to apologise after a crop sprayer, allegedly paid as little as 8p an hour, died of suspected poisoning at a plantation in India.

Charities and trade unions are now demanding action from Tetley, whose parent company part-owns the Powai Tea Estate in Assam. Tetley distanced itself from the allegations, insisting that no tea produced at the Assam plantation goes into its teabags sold in Britain and stated that it does not operate or manage the plantation, nor does it employ the staff there. The claims were also fiercely denied by the plantation's owner  Amalgamated Plantations Private Ltd - a separate company in which Tata holds a 49.8 per cent stake.

Campaigners have blamed 25-year-old Gopal Tanti's sudden death in May on pesticides he was employed to spray on crops at the site. Almost 2,000 workers work there, with many said to receive 93p for working days of between eight and 12 hours, according to the IUF, which represents 2.8million workers in 124 countries. Jasper Gross, author of the IUF report, said: I believe that Tetley is linked to core human rights violations and the death and killing of tea workers. Read the full report.

27/9/2010

Campaigning for a sweatshop free Olympics

Understand more about working conditions in sweatshops through an online game by Labour Behind the Label. http://www.playfair2012.org/game/

The Playfair 2012 campaign wants the organisers of the London Olympics and companies to aim for gold and ensure that workers producing sportswear and goods with the Olympic logo have their rights respected. Take part in the Brands E-action, visit http://www.playfair2012.org.uk/what-you-can-do/brands

The Primark legacy

One of the most notorious High Street chain's accused of exploiting child labour is Primark. Its use of sweated labour to produce cheap fashion has been a hot topic recently. In 2005 Ethical Consumer voted Primark most unethical fashion store. Three years later, BBC's Panorama put Primark's claim that it can deliver cheap, fast fashion without breaking ethical guidelines to the test. Its findings shook the fashion buying public.

More than 4 million viewers tuned in to watch the hour-long special 'Primark: On the Rack'. Panorama found some of India's poorest people working long hours in slum workshops reminiscent of refugee camps. Reporter Tom Heap visited three factories in India posing as an industry buyer. Heap captured footage so bad that it even shocked experts who thought they had seen the fashion world's murkiest depths. The gruelling hours and insalubrious conditions are a far cry from the Primark-approved and inspected factories the company wants its consumers to see; breaking promises on child labour, working hours and wages. Primark's response to the investigation was to sack some of its key suppliers and announce it was setting up a children's foundation.

So did this insight into the murky world of child exploitation actually stop people from buying the clothes? Sadly not. Primark has since been one of the few high-street brands to announce year-on-year profits. But the fight to end the exploitation goes on, with campaign groups and charities calling for action

20/07/2010

Four children have been rescued from a Delhi sweatshop after a seven-year-old boy was found working 98 hours a week making Christmas gifts destined for Britain.

The boy, known as Ravi, was filmed working with seven other youngsters at the sweatshop used by an export firm that supplies cut-price chain store Poundland.

Dressed in rags, Ravi appeared emaciated and with marks on his face. An undercover report revealed he was working from 9am to 11pm, seven days a week, earning 7p an hour. The rescued children were taken to a safe house to await a reunion with their parents. Eight-year-old Mohammad Hussain said: "I was brought to Delhi by a person who paid 14 to my family." The sweatshop delivers goods such as notebooks and mirrors to an Indian exporter Trishulin Overseas which in turn supplies Poundland. Following the rescue, Poundland issued a statement saying it had launched an investigation into Trishulin's compliance with its code of conduct. "As a result, all orders with Trishulin Overseas have been placed on hold," it said. "Trishulin Overseas is a new supplier to Poundland and, to date, Poundland has not received or sold any products supplied by the company. Poundland does not tolerate child labour under any circumstances and will not work with companies that employ children. Should we find that Trishulin Overseas has breached our code of practice, its products will not be sold in any Poundland store." Read the full story on http://www.metro.co.uk/news/835669children-paid-7p-an-hour-to-make-poundland-gifts  

Show your face The UK-based charity 'War on Want' calling for the government to regulate companies and put an end to the exploitation of overseas workers. War on Want believes that real change can only be achieved through government regulation that protects the rights of workers supplying UK companies. The government regulate the business practices of UK retailers to ensure that overseas workers are guaranteed a living wage, decent working conditions and the right to join a trade union. Show your support by adding your face, name and voice to our campaign against sweatshops. Its aim is to have 50,000 people join our call for immediate government action http://www.waronwant.org/campaigns/love-fashion-hate-sweatshops/16832-love-fashion-hate-sweatshops-gallery-of-supporters

Date for your diary: Fair trade Fortnight 2011 Monday 28 February - Sunday 13 March 2011 A nationwide awareness campaign which encourages consumers to buy goods bearing the fair trade mark. It also pressures governments and businesses to support fair trade initatives.