news
Headlines
The challenge of getting decent jobs for women (Cambodia)14 August 2008 by IPS
‘Women are cloth, men are gold’. This traditional Khmer saying is quoted by many studies on gender in Cambodia as emblematic of the different value accorded to men and women in this country of 14 million. But it takes on a different perspective in Cham Choa district and other areas of Phnom Penh, the heart of the country’s garment industry.
Maternity leave 'damages' careers (UK)
14 July 2008 by BBC News
The extension of maternity leave to up to a year may be sabotaging women's careers, the head of the new equality watchdog has warned.
Survey finds farm workers vulnerable to HIV, particularly women (South Africa)
04 July 2008 by African Press Organization
An HIV prevalence survey found that of the 1500 farm workers who voluntarily participated, 28.5 per cent were living with HIV. A gender breakdown of figures found that female workers not only had a higher HIV prevalence rate of 32.5 per cent compared to 20.9 per cent of male workers, but that those between 18-24 years of age were particularly vulnerable to infection as they were three times more likely to have HIV than their male counterparts.
Labour market discrimination still a big problem in OECD countries
02 July 2008 by OECD
Women are 20% less likely than men to have a paid job in OECD countries and they earn on average 17% less than men, according to the latest edition of OECD’s Employment Outlook. At least 30% of the gap in wages and 8% of the gap in employment rates result from discriminatory practices in the labour market.
Gap joins hands with govt for workers' rights (India)
01 July 2008 in Business Standard
A year after being embroiled in a child labour controversy, leading US apparel and footwear brand Gap has embarked on a national initiative for welfare of children and women in collaboration with the Ministry of Women and Child Development and various state governments.
Tesco accused of using 'slave labour' (India)
26 June 2008 by This Is Money
A damaging investigation alleges that Britain's biggest retailer - which made a £2.8bn profit last year - is being supplied by an Indian factory where textile workers earn, on average, £8.75 for a 54-hour, six-day week. The lowest paid receive less than £7 a week.
Bangladeshi woman wins rights for garment workers
25 June 2008 by the Washington Post
In the Dhaka slums, trade union leader Nazima Aktar campaigns for wage increases and rice subsidies. On behalf of workers, she campaigns for wage increases to make sure that staples such as rice and oil are affordable. In meetings with manufacturers, she presses for rice subsidies so that workers and their families don't go hungry. Her efforts have paid off, with several factory owners agreeing to her demands.
Bui workers want government intervention (Ghana)
14 June 2008 by Ghana Web
Ghanaian workers at the Bui hydroelectric Power site have called on Government, the Labour Commission, Trade Union Congress of Ghana (TUC), and the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), to come to their aid, noting of poor working conditions such as inadequate salary, poor accommodation, transportation, lack of protective gear, poor safety and security measures, intimidation and sexual harassment on female workers by the Chinese.
Global
Solving the global food crisis starts with women's rights
11 June 2008 in Belleville News-Democrat
Last
week, world leaders met in Rome to devise new strategies for world
agriculture. Promoting women's rights is a must. The majority of the
world's farmers are women. In the poorest countries, where the food
crisis is at its worst, women grow and produce 80 percent of all food.
Exxon shareholders reject gay rights resolution
28 May 2008 by Fox Business News
ExxonMobil
shareholders voted down a resolution to add “sexual orientation” and
“gender identity” to Exxon’s non-discrimination statement on Wednesday.
Approximately 40% of Exxon’s outstanding shares voted in favor of the
clause, but it was not enough to send the issue to the oil company’s
board of directors.
Groups discuss alleged ills of Wal-Mart purchasing (Cambodia, Costa Rica, US)
20 April 2008 by Heritage Newspapers
Giant
purchasers like Wal-Mart should implement policies that protect the
rights of workers, rather than abuse them, two sweatshop workers told
several people Monday night at a town hall meeting at Dearborn's Ford
Community & Performing Arts Center.
Exxon shatters profit records
01 February 2008 by CNNMoney.com
Oil giant makes corporate history by booking $11.7 billion in quarterly profit; earns $1,300 a second in 2007.
The Missing Piece of the Poverty Puzzle
16 October 2007 by IPS
Women
are seen as the key for ending global poverty and the issue of gender
equality is receiving special attention at events marking the
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on Wednesday. One of
the largest is the International Women's Tribunals on Poverty, which
will highlight the feminisation of poverty.
Indigenous Congress Demands Teeth for UN Declaration
12 October 2007 by IPS
Indigenous
leaders are holding a regional congress in Bolivia to discuss
strategies to oblige governments to take on board as state policy the
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, adopted by the United
Nations General Assembly on Sept. 13. The U.N. declaration, achieved
after a 20-year struggle, recognises the right of the world’s 370
million indigenous people to autonomy, self-determination and control
of their territory and resources for their own benefit. However, as a
mere declaration, it lacks the legally binding nature of U.N.
conventions, which form part of the framework of international law.
This is the goal that the leaders of native peoples are now pursuing.
Inditex, ITGLWF sign framework agreement on international workers rights
04 October 2007 by ITGLWF
Industria
de Diseno Textil SA, owner of the Zara retail chain, said it has signed
a framework agreement with the International Textile, Garment and
Leather Workers' Federation (ITGLWF) to promote international workers
rights.
FORTUNE 50 Most Powerful Women in Business
03 October 2007 by CNN Money.com
Women
have come a long way - and they're not slowing down. The credentials of
this year's top 50, including 13 newcomers, are the strongest yet.
ILO, IFC Link with Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) to Promote Better Work in Global Supply Chains
25 September 2007 by The CSR Wire
The International Labour Organization (ILO) and International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, have selected Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) to lead an international buyers'consultative forum for their joint global Better Work programme.
Fewer Women Represented in the ‘C-Suite’ of Fortune Global 100 Companies than in the Boardroom, Study Finds
24 September 2007 by Business Wire
A new study from Corporate Women Directors International (CWDI) reveals
low female representation on the corporate boards of the 100 largest
companies in the world. Worse yet, the study shows even fewer women
serving as senior officers*, generally considered a stepping-stone
toward directorship, since the number of women CEOs is also very small
(2% in Fortune’s global listing).
Women Demand Voice in Climate Debate
20 September 2007 in IPS
Calls
for increased participation of women in policy-making decisions are on
the rise as world leaders prepare to attend an international meeting on
climate change to be held at U.N. headquarters next week.
A Catalogue Of Crimes Against Trade Unionists
19 September 2007 by Scoop IndependetnNews
An appalling total of 144 trade unionists were murdered for defending
workers' rights in 2006, while more than 800 suffered beatings or
torture, according to the Annual Survey of Trade Union Rights
Violations, published by the 168-million member International Trade
Union Confederation. The 379-page report details nearly 5,000 arrests
and more than 8,000 dismissals of workers due to their trade union
activities.
Native Peoples Score Historic Political Victory
13 September 2007 by IPS
On
Thursday, an overwhelming majority of the 192-member U.N. General
Assembly said "yes" to a resolution calling for the adoption of the
Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. "It's a
triumph for indigenous peoples around the world," said U.N.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon after the General Assembly vote. "This
marks a historic moment when member states and indigenous peoples
reconciled with their painful histories."
The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises: A modest proposal
07 August 2007 in Ethical Corporation
The
current OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, an important
corporate responsibility document, are not being implemented
effectively by companies. Tim Steinweg and Joris Oldenziel propose a
new model.
Overseas workers 'lack living wage'
17 September 2007 by Orange UK
Overseas workers who supply leading UK fashion chains are still not paid a living wage, according to a report by campaign groups. War on Want and Labour Behind the Label say most well-known clothing firms are not doing enough to ensure factory staff abroad are lifted out of poverty.
Ever-increasing pressure on ‘big pharma business model'
06 Aug 2007 by Financial Times
A growing, but ageing and increasingly obese population; a change in
disease profiles brought about by economic growth and climate change;
the globalisation of the market place – the pharmaceuticals and
biotechnology sector faces challenges on a number of levels.
UN Skips Gender Perspective in Climate Change
02 Aug 2007 by Inter Press Service
When the United Nations concluded a two-day debate Thursday on the
potential devastation from climate change, it covered a lot of
territory: deforestation, desertification, greenhouse gases, renewable
energy sources, biofuels and sustainable development. But one thing the
debate lacked was a gender perspective.
Coca-Cola Undermines UN Global Compact
04 July 2007 by India Resource Centre
The
inclusion of the Coca-Cola company in the United Nations Global Compact
Leaders Summit -underway in Geneva on July 5 and 6 - has seriously
undermined the credibility and effectiveness of the Global Compact. The
Coca-Cola company, which continues to violate a number of the UN Global
Compact principles in its operations in India, is set to deliver a
keynote address at the Leaders Summit, making a mockery of corporate
social responsibility.
Global Compact expands, impact still hazy
03 July 2007 by IPS
The upcoming Global Compact Leaders Summit this Thursday and Friday in Geneva seems to be getting more attention from various stakeholders in the global community than ever before.
Global military spending hits 1.2 trillion, report says
11 June 2007 by Reuters
Global
military spending rose 3.5 percent last year to $1.2 trillion as U.S.
costs for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan mounted, a European
research body said on Monday in an annual study. The United States
spent $529 billion, slightly less than the entire GDP of the
Netherlands, on military operations in 2006, up 5 percent over the
previous year.
'Vulture funds' threat to developing world: When debt relief lines the pockets of businessmen based in rich countries
15 February 2007 by BBC News
A
High Court judge has ruled that Zambia must pay a substantial sum to a
so-called "vulture fund". British Virgin Islands-based Donegal
International paid less than $4m (£2m) for a debt the African nation
owed, but sued Zambia for a $42m repayment. Take action.
Size of gender gap in top jobs 'woeful'
05 January 2007 in Financial Times
Women
remain "woefully under-represented" in boardrooms, parliament, the top
judiciary and the senior civil service, and are struggling to close the
gender gap in positions of power, says the Equal Opportunities
Commission.
World's richest 1% own 40% of all wealth, UN report discovers
06 December 2006 in The Guardian
First
ever study of global household assets. The richest 1% of adults in the
world own 40% of the planet's wealth, according to the largest study
yet of wealth distribution. 50% of world's adults own just 1% of the
wealth. The report also finds that those in financial services and the
internet sectors predominate among the super rich.
Exxon makes $10.5 Billion, a near-record quarter
26 October 2006 in CNNMoney.com
ExxonMobil, the world's largest publicly traded oil company and its biggest corporation by revenue, soundly beats Wall Street estimates and posts the second highest quarterly profit ever for a U.S. company.
Annan stresses ‘vital’ UN partnership with business to advance responsible globalization
23 October 2006 in UN News Centre
More than ever before, the United Nations is making the business world, as well as civil society and the academic community, “vital partners” in advancing international peace and development, but much more remains to be done, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today in a message to a forum of business leaders.
Fortune releases annual ranking of “50 Most Powerful Women In Business”
02 October 2006 in CNN.com
Economy booming for billionnaires
28 September 2006 in CommonDreams.org
Millionaires are so last millennium. The new Forbes 400 list of richest Americans is billionaires only. The combined wealth of the 400 richest Americans is a record-breaking $1.25 trillion. That's about the same amount of combined wealth held by the 57 million households who make up half the U.S. population.
Civil Society Groups Celebrate Collapse of Doha Round
25 July 2006 by Focus on the Global South
Monday's (24 July 2006) collapse of the Doha Round is the best outcome the WTO can deliver to the world's poor.
The Scariest Predators in the Corporate Jungle
17 May 2006 in Inter Press Service
United Nations: The world's oil, gas and mining industries account for nearly two-thirds of all violations of human rights, environmental laws and international labor standards, according to a soon-to-be-released United Nations study.
Opening NY Stock Exchange, Annan sounds bell for responsible investment
27 April 2006
Secretary-General Kofi Annan rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange this morning, launching a United Nations programme to encourage institutional investors to weigh the environmental and social impact of their investments.
International Actions Mark One-Year Anniversary of Spectrum Tragedy:
11 April 2006 by Clean Clothes Campaign
Bangladesh garment workers and labour rights activists take to the streets today to mark the one-year anniversary of the Spectrum factory collapse (64 dead, more than 70 injured, hundreds left jobless).
Corporate Accountability Activists Challenge Corporate Influence at World Water Forum
21 March 2006
Mexico City--As representatives of the water industry enjoy access to government officials and international agencies at the last sessions of the Fourth World Water Forum, activists are preparing events for World Water Day tomorrow.
Africa
Tsholofelo Selufaro speaks about child labor in Botswana
15 April 2008 by UNICEF
Around
the world, 158 million children aged 5 to 14 are engaged in some form
of child labour – that's one child in every six. In sub-Saharan Africa,
the proportion is even higher, at one in three. However, many countries
are only just becoming aware of the extent of this problem.
Africa: Pitfalls of export processing zones
28 March 2008 by AllAfrica.com
The closure of the Ramatex clothing and textile factory in Windhoek
last week, marked the end of one of the most controversial investments
in Namibia since independence.
Cut flower Bonanza: At What Cost? (Ethiopia)
18 February 2008 by Jimma Times
Nearly
60 flower farms operate in Ethiopia today. More than half of them are
owned and run by foreigners. During his recent statement to the media,
Minister Girma Birru pledges nearly 2000 hectares of land to attract
new investors to the industry. But with local and international bodies’
concerns for environmental mismanagement and labor abuses, their time
may be running out.
Africa: Trade Soars As Labour Rights Languish
11 January 2008 by AllAfrica.com
At
a recent forum held here by the progressive Economic Policy Institute,
labour and human rights activists criticised what they consider a lack
of adequate protections for workers contained in the African Growth and
Opportunity Act (AGOA), a unilateral U.S. trade deal aimed at
increasing commerce between the United States and sub-Saharan African
countries.
Anglogold Probes 'Health Risk' At Mine (Mali)
11 October 2007 by AllAfrica.com
Anglogold
Ashanti is busy with the second phase of a study into whether there is
any scientific link between operations at its Sadiola mine in Mali and
reports that four out of five pregnant women in two villages near the
mine are miscarrying.
Farm Evictions, Workers Rights
18 September 2007 by VOA
South
Africa's Human Rights Commission has launched hearings into labor
relations and land rights on the country's farms. The hearings follow a
threat by a government minister to seize the land of farmers who abuse
their workers
Good Labour Practices Bloom in Flower Industry (Uganda)
23 August 2007 by IPS
A
highly profitable industry has blossomed in "the Pearl of Africa",
yielding not only exceptional returns on investment but helping raise
labour standards. Rising from nearly zero production ten years ago,
Uganda has emerged as a global power in the floricultural world and is
now Africa's fifth largest exporter of cut flowers.
Chevron to Stand Trial for Human Rights Abuses in Nigeria
15 August 2007 by Earthrights International
In
a series of rulings issued late yesterday, United States District Court
Judge Susan Illston rejected Chevron Corporation's final attempts to
avoid trial for its involvement in brutal attacks on Nigerian
villagers. Nine Nigerian plaintiffs are suing Chevron in federal court
in San Francisco for deaths and other abuses in two incidents in 1998
and 1999, in which Nigerian military and police paid by Chevron and
using Chevron helicopters and boats tortured and shot protestors and
destroyed two villages allegedly associated with opposition to
Chevron's oil activities in the desperately poor Niger delta. The
plaintiffs assert claims ranging from torture to wrongful death.
Egypt: Mansoura-España garment workers still occupying factory
22 June 2007 in Infoshop News
It’s
3pm, the workers received their May salaries, their social bonuses and
May Day grants for the year 2006. The workers are refusing to leave the
factory however before they receive an official document from the
management stating the latter received the factory in a good condition.
Zimbabwean women fighting for survival in South Africa
28 May 2007 by Association of Zimbabwean Journalists
As
the social and economic situation in Zimbabwe continues to dwindle, the
women of the country have started leaving their homes and children and
go off to work domestic jobs in the big cities of South Africa, in the
kitchens and homes of more wealthy and even poor South Africans.
Zimbabwe union formed for hotel and catering workers in South Africa
23 May 2007 in Africa Path
Lilian
Sibanda, 31, is a widow of vision, courage and conviction. In 2005 her
house was demolished . . . Armed with a passport and a visa, Hotel and
Catering certificate, an idea and passion in her, she set out to
achieve the impossible, she crossed the Limpopo River down to South
Africa.
Egypt: Garment workers' sit-in reaches 26th day
17 May 2007 in libcom.org
More than 150 workers (out of a total
labor force of 284) are still occupying their factory and sleeping on
the floors, with few supplies of food, water, suffering from a
continuous deterioration in their health. Three quarters of the labor
force are women. They have been staying away from their families since
21 April.
Shell told to pay Nigerians $1,5bn pollution damages
25 February 2006 in Mail & Guardian online
A Nigerian court on Friday ordered Royal Dutch Shell to pay $1,5-billion in damages for polluting the Niger Delta, a fresh blow to the company that was already reeling from a kidnap crisis and a wave of sabotage against its installations.
Asia & the Pacific
Women farmers capture their experience on camera; make 12 video films (India)10 June 2008 by Indian Television
The steady rise in staple food prices is already affecting communities around the world, most significantly women unable to feed their families. A 20-member women-farmers' collective from Andhra Pradesh's Community Media Trust has stunned the Delhi filmmakers with 12 video films tracing the experience of women in regaining autonomy over food production, seeds, natural resources and markets. The women, most of them illiterate, shot the films as part of a multi-media publication, Affirming Life and Diversity: Rural Images and Voices on Food Sovereignity.
Home From Jordan, Vietnamese Strikers Face Off With Crooked Labor Export Firms
10 June 2008 by InfoShop News
The Vietnamese guest workers repatriated from Jordan this spring following a strike which gained the support of the international labor movement are following up with a petition for relief from debts they incurred to pay recruitment fees to crooked Vietnamese labor export firms. The workers, from a group of over 170 mostly female garment workers who battled the Taiwanese-owned firm W&D Apparel in a Jordanian industrial zone, have gone from fighting extended working hours and unfair wage cuts to struggling with the labor export firms.
It’s all toil, no pay for women workers at cloth market (India)
02 May 2008 by Express India
At the Panchkuva Cloth Market, the largest textile wholesale market in the Ahmedabad, workers mostly women can be seen squatting on the roadsides. Their daily 12 – hour work of packing, loading and transporting bales of cloth is done at a workplace that has no facilities for resting and drinking water and no common area and adequate toilets.
Encouraging women's employment in Bangladesh
10 April 2008 by The Daily Star
THE recent report "Whispers to Voices" highlighted the substantial gains in women's status in Bangladesh over the last few decades. School enrolment of girls now exceeds that of boys', infant mortality has fallen, gender differences in survival of children have narrowed, fertility has declined dramatically, and women are now more visible in public spaces than they ever were before.
New program to boost women in workplace (Japan)
09 April 2008 by The Japan Times
The government adopted a program Tuesday intended to accelerate women's social advancement, including urging business leaders to fill more managerial posts with females.
Battle of the sexes continues (Australia)
07 April 2008 by News.com
According to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, the number of complaints under the Sex Discrimination Act jumped sharply in the past year.
Bridging the gender gap (New Zealand)
05 April 2008 by The Nelson Mail
This week, it's the New Zealand Census of Women's Participation, which reveals that 60 of New Zealand's top 100 companies on the stock exchange have no women on their boards, and that women account for a mere 8.65 percent of all the board places available among those companies.
Executive sues Perpetual for sex discrimination (Australia)
03 April 2008 by Business Spectator
Former general manager, wholesale, Fiona Dunn, has lodged a multimillion-dollar sexual discrimination claim against Perpetual, alleging an "unhealthy boys' club culture" and discrimination because she was pregnant.
Greens call for bigger lift in minimum wage (New Zealand)
01 April 2008 by The New Zealand Herald
The Green Party has welcomed a rise in the minimum wage to $12 an hour, but says it needs to hit at least $15 an hour to raise some workers out of poverty.
300,000 children toil in India’s cotton fields
31 March 2008 by The Indian News
Making their way under the cover of darkness, unscrupulous dealers whisk away thousands of children from Rajasthan in trucks to neighbouring Gujarat to make them work in the state’s booming cotton fields.
Adidas workers on £11 a week in China
30 March 2008 by The Sunday Times
An investigation by The Sunday Times into the workers’ pay and conditions has found apparent violations of China’s labour laws and Adidas’s own code of workplace standards.
Sex workers in Gujarat village say no to flesh trade (India)
30 March 2008 by The Economic Times
A silent revolution is sweeping through the dusty terrain of this village, barely 70 km from the India-Pakistan border in Banaskantha district. More than 80% of the women here are saying no to their age-old family tradition - flesh trade.
Accounting firm pays up for sex discrimination (Australia)
29 March 2008 by Heraldsun
But as the former PricewaterhouseCoopers partner celebrated the settlement of her landmark sex discrimination case against the accounting giant, one insider spoke out to back many of her claims about the firm.
Dharna for social security for unorganised sector workers (India)
29 March 2008 by Meri News
Women in the rural areas have a poor living standard. SEWA took on the road to voice its concern. With lots of growth and development still needed to be implemented in order to uplift them socially, SEWA is doing its best to be heard.
Cambodia rushes to calm food price fears
27 March 2008 by ABS-CBN
Cambodia Thursday rushed to calm fears over spiraling food costs, as it pushed out a series of measures meant to halt price hikes as thousands of factory workers facing hunger threatened to strike for higher wages.
Social awareness programme launched to recognise garment workers (Sri Lanka)
20 March 2008 by The Island
A social awareness programme was launched last week to recognise the contribution of garment workers to the country’s economy and to encourage potential employees to join the sector.
Rs 30 million campaign for garment workers (Sri Lanka)
09 March 2008 by The Sunday Times
This week the garment industry launched a Rs 30 million public-private partnership to uplift the image of garment workers in the island.
Gutted factory lays off 3,000 workers (Pakistan)
23 January 2008 by The Daily Times
A garment factory in Ibrahim Hyderi that had burnt to ashes during the recent riots fired 3,000 women workers without paying them their salaries, Daily Times learnt on Monday.
Factory closure causes 400 workers lost jobs in Thailand
17 January 2008 by Committee for Asian Women (CAW)
About 400 workers lost their jobs yesterday after garment manufacturer Thai Product International closed its factory, siting high transportation costs. The workers were told of the abrupt closure which took immediate effect and agreed to severance pay, fixed at 25% of the legal requirement and payable in instalLments.
8 garment workers sue employers for discrimination (Micronesia)
17 January 2008 by Marianas Variety
EIGHT garment workers have sued three garment firms for employment discrimination based on origin.The plaintiffs filed causes of actions under violation of Title VII, breach of contract and breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
Bangladeshi workers: ‘We won’t be worked to death by bosses’
15 January 2008 by Socialist Worker
A year after the imposition of a state of emergency in Bangladesh, workers and students are once again on the streets, As 2007 drew to a close, workers from garment factories in the Mirpur area of the capital city of Dhaka protested against the untimely death of Salma, one of their female co-workers.
RMG workers block Rokeya Sarani again for wages (Bangladesh)
13 January 2008 by The Daily Star
Workers of garment factories blockade Rokeya Sarani at Sheorapara in the capital yesterday demanding timely wages and overtime allowances.
Several hundred garment workers yesterday took to Rokeya Sarani at Sheorapara in the capital and blockaded the busy street for the entire day
in support of their 12-point demand including timely payment of their salary and overtime allowance.
Cambodian garment workers threaten strike over pay
02 January 2008 by Monsters and Critics
Cambodia's largest garment workers union would call a strike if its demands for a pay rise to keep pace with inflation were not met. Chea Mony, president of the Free Trade Union, said it was demanding a 10-per-cent wage hike and a new minimum wage of 55 dollars a month, up from 50 dollars a month.
Thousands of foreign workers on Saipan rally for justice
18 December 2007 by KPUA.Net
Thousands of foreign workers in the Northern Mariana Islands marched through Saipan's tourist and business district. They were protesting local laws they say give them no protection amid the demise of the once thriving garment industry. The workers rallied in support of a bill in the U.S. Congress to federalize the island's immigration system.
Disney discards women workers (Bangladesh)
06 December 2007 by The New Nation
There are more than 1,500 women working in four such factories in Herat city. There are around 1.6 million workers in garment factories in Bangladesh. Most of them are young women. Despite adverse and harsh conditions there is not a single functioning union in Bangladesh. It is very difficult to organize garment workers, because you can't see them very often. Disney was here for years, but when the workers finally raised their voices, Disney pulled out.
Garment workers protest in Bangalore (India)
31 October 2007 by the NDTV.com
Even as international attention is increasing over the condition of workers in garment factories in developing countries, NGOs and workers in Bangalore are protesting against the conditions in the industry.There are an estimated 5,00,000 people working in the industry in Bangalore alone and are the silent workforces behind many big clothing brand names.
Women workers exposed to health risks in Herat factories (Afghanistan)
30 October 2007 by IRIN Asia
The su fi fur and wool factory, in Herat city, western Afghanistan, has more than 350 female and 300 male workers who earn only 300 Afghanis (US$6) for their 48-hour, six-day week. The factory produces coats, jackets, hats and other garments for the European and North American markets. There are more than 1,500 women working in four such factories in Herat city.
Bangladesh garment exports fall sharply
05 October 2007 by AFP
Bangladesh's garment exports were down nearly a quarter in July as political turmoil and labour unrest wreaked havoc on the sector, which is crucial to the impoverished nation's economy, data showed. "We've had months of political turmoil and labour unrest since the middle of last year, which prompted the top global buyers to place export orders elsewhere," association president Anwarul Alam Chowdhury Parvez said.
DSWD honors group's moves on women abuse (Philippines)
03 October 2007 by Sun Star
THE national office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) recognized a non-government organization (NGO) that has been on the forefront of the campaign against abuses committed on women and children. In recognition of its efforts, the Gender Watch Against Violence and Exploitation (GWAVE) received from DSWD a certificate of accreditation.
Garment workers demand ‘living wage’ (Sri Lanka)
03 October 2007 by Just-Style
Sri Lanka's Apparel Industry Labour Rights Movement (ALaRM), a coalition of trade unions and labour rights organisations in Sri Lanka, is mobilising garment workers to push for wage increases over the next few months.
Sri Lanka Government is planning to ensure decent working conditions to its house maids working in the Middle East and elsewhere
02 October 2007 by Asian Tribune
Recently at a press conference held the Foreign Employment Bureau in Colombo Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said “The Government would in the future concentrate on sending workers to better paid jobs in European countries rather than the conventionally bound jobs in the Middle-East.” Minister added.
Fisherwomen Question Tourism's 'Magic' (India)
01 October 2007 by IPS
A group of fisherwomen chose a rather surreal way to mark the World Tourism day on Sep. 27. They gagged themselves, wore headbands sporting slogans and sat in protest in front of the state secretariat. "Tourism in the state is increasingly challenging our livelihoods, environment and culture," said Magline Peter, a leader of the Coastal Women's Front that led the protest.
Continued harassment of defenders of women workers' rights and campaigners abroad (India)
01 October 2007 by Amnesty Interntional
Amnesty International is concerned by the continuing harassment of defenders of women workers' rights in the garments export industry in Bangalore city in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, as well as associated campaigning activists based in the Netherlands. The harassment has included the filing of apparently false criminal charges against them, aimed at curbing their freedom of expression.
Multiple factors blamed for sluggish RMG sector (Bangladesh)
30 September 2007 by The Daily Star
Industry analysts believe the alarming drop in readymade garments (RMG) export orders stemmed from a number of reasons ranging from the upcoming withdrawal of all restrictions on China's garment exports, to the bearish trend in the US consumer market, to the negative image of Bangladesh and the persistent labour unrest here.
Clean Clothes Campaign and India Committee of the Netherlands summoned to appear in court (India)
27 September 2007 by Clean Clothes Campaign
CCC and ICN campaigners face two years imprisonment if found guilty under Indian penal code of "cyber crime", "acts of racist and xenophobic nature", and "criminal defamation" for speaking out on labour rights violations at an Indian garment producer.
RMG workers ransack factory over rumour (Bangladesh)
27 September 2007 by The Daily Star
Garment workers went on the rampage at Salna in Gazipur yesterday following rumours that law enforcement agencies beat up and detained some of their colleagues.Sources said about 4,000 workers of Shamoly Garment staged the sit-in inside the factory for realising their four-point demand, including an increase in wages and bonuses to which the factory management conceded.
Much wastage in skills scrapheap (Australia)
25 September 2007 by Australian IT News
Discrimination is not new to the technology sector and it is not unique to this industry. For years, women have complained about a glass ceiling that limited the level to which they could rise in some companies. More recently there has been disturbing evidence of another kind of discrimination, this time against mature workers.
FDI companies’ workers still struggle with low wages (Vietnam)
24 September 2007 by Vietnam News
Many foreign direct investment (FDI) companies’ workers still face low wages, overwork and a hard life, a survey by the Workers’ and Trade Union Institute under the Viet Nam Confederation of Labour has found. A recent survey has revealed that up to 45 per cent of FDI company workers have complained about their low wages, and nearly 16 per cent were dissatisfied about their extra working hours.
Tesco to investigate riots at Bangladeshi factories
24 September 2007 by The Independent
Tesco has said it will investigate the circumstances of a series of violent demonstrations at factories in Bangladesh where workers have been protesting for higher wages and better working conditions. Britain's largest retailer confirmed that the affected factories were owned by one of its suppliers, although the locations where the demonstrations took place were not involved in providing products to Tesco.
Low wages, bane of women workers
23 September 2007 by The Hindu
Women workers of textile and garment industries in many South Asian countries have been beset with low wages, long working hours and poor health facilities against the backdrop of globalisation, Akiko Gono, secretary, International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation-Asia and Pacific Regional Organisation (ITGLWF-APRO), addressed Last week.
Garment workers struggles escalate again in Bangladesh
23 September 2007 by Libcom/The Daily Star
New clashes broke out in Tejgaon, the industrial zone of Dhaka. Up to 25,000 garment workers came out on wildcat strike and fought both police and management-hired thugs. Over 50 people, including cops, were injured - some seriously.The trouble began on Saturday morning at the Nasa Group factory. Supposedly one of the more 'responsible' employers - Nasa supply Primark in the UK and Wal-Mart in the USA amongst others - Nasa workers had been on strike for 2 days demanding payent of wage arrears, bonuses and extra holiday allowances.
Garment workers in ‘Living Wage’ campaign to raise wages (Sri Lanka)
23 September 2007 by Financial Times
Garment workers in Srilanka are launching on a campaign in October asking for what they call a ‘Living Wage’ because current wages, given the rate of increase in cost of living, are not enough to live on.The campaign for a living wage in the apparel sector is led by the Apparel Industry Labour Rights Movement (ALaRM), a coalition of trade unions and worker’s rights organisations.
Textile industry should implement welfare measures for women
22 September 2007 by The Economic Times
Textile industry should implement welfare measures, including maternity protection mandated by the International Labour Organisation, for women workers, Angelita Adviento, chairperson of women`s committee, Textile Workers Asia Region Organisation (TWARO), said on Saturday. Speaking on the sidelines of a women's workshop here, she said the ILO Convention 2000, which mandated maternity protection to women workers, should be implemented fully.
Korea serious about enhancing anti-discrimination measures
18 September 2007 by The Korea Herald
The government will toughen anti-discrimination measures, including banning all advertisements that are biased against racial minorities and women, the Justice Ministry said yesterday.The ministry unveiled its draft law to crack down on discrimination based on gender, race, and physical disability.
Women under 30 years can’t work abroad (India)
17 September 2007 by United News of India
The Centre has decided to restrict all women under 30 years of age who have not completed high school from being permitted to work abroad. The new measures also require all employment contracts to be drawn up directly between the worker and employer and not with any recruiting agent.
10 garment workers strip in protest (Thailand)
12 September 2007 by fibre2fashion
Angry at the Government's apathy towards their demand of severance pay after their garment factory shut down without prior notice on August 26, 10 laid-off women workers yesterday stripped naked in front of Government House where Prime Minister General Surayud Chulanont was meeting with his Cabinet members.
Women workers still face discrimination (Bangladesh)
11 September 2007 by The Independent
Women continue to face discrimination in every aspect of life, especially at work, although they have immense contribution to the country's economy. The meeting titled 'The status of women workers in Bangladesh: Responsibilities of women movement' brought together women workers, trade union leaders, employers and NGO leaders.
Cleaning Up After Bhopal Gas Tragedy - Not Begun (India)
10 September 2007 by IPS
A generation after the world’s worst ever industrial disaster occurred at a U.S. multinational-owned pesticide plant in Bhopal, central India, responsibility continues to be evaded on cleaning up thousands of tonnes of toxic chemicals that have contaminated the soil and water in the vicinity.
New law allows Chinese job seekers to litigate against discrimination
30 August 2007 by People's Daily Online English
Chinese employers could find themselves in court from next year if they discriminate against job seekers on the grounds of sex, age, religion, race or physical disability. Job applicants will be entitled to sue employers for discrimination from Jan. 1 under the new national Employment Promotion Law.
New Labour Law Hurts More Than Helps Women (South Korea)
20 August 2007 in IPS
A new labour law intended to help part-time workers secure permanency in their jobs has resulted in thousands of overworked, underpaid women losing their jobs and spawned ugly labour disputes. Effective from Jul. 1 the new law requires employers to grant part-time workers, who have done more than two years, full-time status by placing them on their payrolls. But many non-regular workers lost their jobs.
Chennai court rejects Novartis patent challenge
06 Aug 2007 by Reuters
A court rejected on Monday a challenge by Novartis to Indian law that denies patents for minor improvements to known drugs, and the Swiss drug giant said it was unlikely to appeal.
Career Women in Japan Find a Blocked Path
05 Aug 2007 by The New York Times
Yukako Kurose joined the work force in 1986, a year after Japan passed its first equal opportunity law. Like other career-minded young women, she hoped the law would open doors. But her promising career at a department-store corporate office ended 15 years ago when she had a baby.
Japanese women 'still seen as cheaper labor'
02 August 2007 by The Yomiuri Shimbun
...there are disparities among Japanese women according to age...about two-thirds of women working at private companies earn less than 3 million yen a year. Many of that group's annual income comes to less than 1 million yen.
Sweatshop blues for apparel exports
31 July 2007 in The Economic Times
Earlier this year, a woman worker at Triangle Apparels, a Gokaldas offshoot, committed suicide in the factory. ITGLWF’s information sourced from local affiliates alleged that “the tired woman worker hanged herself after being abused and shouted at”. In Texport’s case, workers unions allege that an expecting woman employee lost her newborn after not being offered help on time.
BOCOG punish licensee for child labor use
31 July 2007 in People's Daily Online
The Beijing Organizing Commitee of the Olympic Games (BOCOG) Tuesday announced that one licensee was found to use child labor and the another three violated labor law.
General Motors and World Environment Center Report Significant Results in China "Green Supply Chain Project"
31 July 2007 by CSRwire
The General Motors Corporation (GM), Shanghai General Motors (SGM) and the World Environment Center (WEC) have reported significant energy efficiency, environmental and water conservation improvements in a demonstration project involving eight suppliers to the company's joint manufacturing venture in China.
Sweatshop blues for apparel exports
31 July 2007 in The Economic Times
Earlier this year, a woman worker at Triangle Apparels, a Gokaldas offshoot, committed suicide in the factory. ITGLWF’s information sourced from local affiliates alleged that “the tired woman worker hanged herself after being abused and shouted at”. In Texport’s case, workers unions allege that an expecting woman employee lost her newborn after not being offered help on time.
Garment workers exploitation continues (Bangladesh)
30 July 2007 in BharatTextile.com
Asda, Tesco and Primark have spoken of their commitment to labour rights. But employees of factories supplying clothes to all three retailers said that their wages were so low that, despite working up to 84-hour weeks, they struggled to provide for their families. Many are regularly forced to work 12-hour days, and working through the night to finish an order was not uncommon.
Dow Unable to Shake Off Bhopal Legacy
09 July 2007 by IPS
Try as it might Dow Chemical Company is unable to shake off the criminal liability it inherited for the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster and also responsibility to clean up toxic contamination at the site of the pesticides plant, originally owned and operated by Union Carbide Corporation.
Rise in Child Labor Tied to CARP’s Failure
30 June 2007 in Bulatlat
The “festering” problem of child labor in the Philippines and in the Davao areas is one of the results of the failure of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, according to child advocates and peasant groups.
Vietnamese Appeal Agent Orange Lawsuit
25 June 2007 in VOAnews.com
In 2004, Vietnamese victims filed a suit in a federal court in New York against more than 30 companies, including Dow Chemical and Monsanto. They claimed the companies knew Agent Orange was toxic, but still supplied it to the U.S. military in order to make a profit. The trial court dismissed the lawsuit.
China vows to crack down on slave abuses, child labor
21 June 2007 in The China Post
China announced a nationwide crackdown on enslavement and child labor on Wednesday, in the highest admission yet of grim exploitation in rural brick kilns where official complicity has been charged.
Child labour caution for China Olympics
10 June 2007 in Financial Times
Licensed goods being made for next year’s Beijing Olympic Games are being manufactured by child labour and “sweatshops” in China, the Playfair Alliance says in a report published on Monday.
Home-based women workers continue to suffer (Pakistan)
22 June 2007 in Daily Times
Home-based women workers – the poorest and vulnerable segment of society – are being exploited at every stage of their struggle for survival because not a single labour law protects their socioeconomic interests.
Coca-Cola Continues Environmental Abuses in India: Community Demands Immediate Shut Down and Investigation
04 June 2007 by India Resource Center
In a shocking finding, another Coca-Cola bottling plant in India has been found to be operating in complete violation of environmental laws and regulations in India. A fact-finding team led by the India Resource Center to a Coca-Cola bottling plant in Sinhachawar in the state of Uttar Pradesh issued a report today detailing the violations.
Female casual workers 'more stressed'
29 May 2007 in The Australian
Women in casual or contract jobs are suffering much higher levels of job strain than other employees, a new University of Melbourne study shows. Women in fixed term and casual jobs are also more likely to report being subject to unwanted sexual advances at work, the study finds. The rise in flexible working arrangements was having a particularly negative impact on women, it said.
Farm suicides spiral in Vidarbha, 401 dead since January
28 May 2007 in Indo-Asian News Service
Even
as the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) pats the Maharashtra government
for bringing down the rate of farmer suicides to 'only 20' per month
from 60 last year, the count kept by an activist group reveals a
staggering 401 suicides in the first five months of this year.
Garment workers demand execution of accord (Bangladesh)
28 May 2007 in The New News
Garment owners are still depriving workers from their arrears,
threatening termination of workers from their jobs and filing cases
taking advantage of the state of emergency of the country.
Male workers' earning goes up, females' down
24 May 2007 in The Daily Star
In Bangladesh, monthly income of the
non-farm sector male workers marked a rise in the third quarter of the
current fiscal year in comparison to the first quarter, but there is a
decline in the earnings of their female counterparts, an official
survey report says.
Wage review lifts garment workers' basic salaries
22 May 2007 by just-style.com
The latest wage revision for garment
factory workers in Sri Lanka has raised basic salaries from around
LKR4,500 (US$ 40.9) to LKR6,000 (UD$ 54.5),
from 1 May. The wage rise included an increase of the minimum wage to
LKR5,000 and an additional LKR1,000 under the Budgetary Relief
Allowance law of 2005.
One dead, dozens injured in Bangladesh factory clash
21 May 2007 by Reuters
Clashes between police and rioting
garment workers demanding payment of wages left one person dead and
about 60 people injured in Bangladesh. The clashes occurred at a
garment factory at Tongi. "We have brought in extra forces to avert
more violence when the factories reopened," a police officer said.
Workers and police were among those injured in Sunday's violence. The
dead female worker, from the Fortuna Garments factory, was believed to
have been shot by police on Sunday.
Vietnam, Malaysia probing alleged factory abuse
18 May 2007 in Thanhniennews.com
Vietnamese
and Malaysian authorities are investigating complaints of abuse and
beatings by three Vietnamese guest workers who were fired and sent home
last week. Vu Dinh Toan of the Vietnamese labor ministry said the
ministry had instructed the Vietnam labor committee based in Malaysia
to investigate if employers at Yikon Jewelry Industry Bhd in Penang
state had beaten up Nguyen Thi Sua, Thai Thi Diem, and Ho Duong Ngoc My.
Saipan Police Tussle with Angry Garmernt Workers
09 May 2007 by Pacific Island Development Program
About 100 Top Fashion Corp. workers
demanding reimbursement of the $3,000 to $4,000 in recruitment fees
they paid held a sit-in protest on Monday which led to a hostage
situation when workers prevented office employees from leaving the
premises. Seven workers were arrested and some alleged police brutality
as several injured workers were rushed to the hospital. Police officers
used pepper spray and electric shock on the workers.
Child laborers toil in Thai seafood factories
27 April 2004 by Reuters
Of
the 200 people working in the barn-like factory during an unannounced
visit by Reuters, nearly half appeared to be in their early teens or
younger -- clear evidence of child labour in an industry worth $2
billion a year in exports. Half Thailand's exported shrimps go to the
United States, where they end up on the shelves of retail giants such
as Wal-Mart and Costco, according to Poj Aramwattananont, president of
the Thai Frozen Foods Association.
In Singapore, 71 complaints from pregnant women of unfair dismissal in 2006
13 February 2007 in Singapore News
71
pregnant women complained to the Ministry of Manpower last year about
losing their jobs. In a written reply to Parliament, Manpower Minister
Ng Eng Hen said 36 of these cases have been concluded, 20 were
withdrawn by the employees and the rest are pending investigation.
Bra factory workers reach settlement
20 November 2006 by Maquila Solidarity Network
On
November 17, the Gina Relations Workers Union (GRWU) met with
representatives of the Clover Group, owners of the Gina Form Bra
Factory in Bangkok, Thailand. Gina workers have been fighting to keep
their unionized factory open after receiving word the Clover Group was
going to close the factory and shift orders to China or Cambodia. The
Clover Group agreed to pay outstanding bonuses and severance pay.
Despite workplace anti-harassment laws, little recourse taken for women in India
20 October 2006 in The Hindu
Although a Supreme Court judgment in 1997 opened up the discourse on sexual harassment in the workplace, little has been done to ensure that women have recourse to effective resolution of complaints, says a new survey.
Poverty Wages for Women Making World Cup Footballs
29 June 2006 from Clean Clothes Campaign
While sportswear companies rake in their profits and World Cup players and fans enjoy the matches in Germany, the Thai women who put together footballs for major brands such as adidas earn so little they can do little more than buy food.
Apple Looks Into iPod 'Sweatshop' Charges
14 June 2006 by TechWeb
Apple Computer Inc. responded to charges over the weekend that a Taiwanese manufacturer of its iPod nano music player was running sweat shop-style factories in mainland China. The workers, mostly young women from rural areas of China, do 15-hour shifts, are housed in dormitories from which outsiders are banned, and regularly pay about half their wages for room and board charges.
New Campaign To Lift Wages and Prevent HIV Deaths Among Women Working for Multinational Beer Companies
27 May 2006 ACTU Media Release
ACTU and International Union President Sharan Burrow launch a new campaign against the exploitation of young women in promotional campaigns by multinational beer companies seeking to gain a slice of the growing Asian beer market.
03 April 2006
In an unprecedented challenge to the ruling Communist Party of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 11 worker representatives are pressing the government to restore "the legitimate rights" of Vietnam's working men and women.
Pakistan-Sindh Province-Karachi: Women Deplore Gender Bias
28 March 2006 in Karachi
Women members of the Sindh Assembly, deploring the discrimination against women in different forms and under various pretexts, have stressed on confidence-building measures for the womenfolk of the country.
March 6, 2006 in CorpWatch
HO CHI MINH CITY It’s nearly five p.m. and factory workers at one of Vietnam’s largest industrial parks flood into the streets of Ho Chi Minh City’s sprawling outskirts. Among them are employees of Danu Vina Corporation, who earn less than $2 for a hard day making stuffed animals that will be sold in the U.S. by Hallmark, Disney, and Starbucks.
Bangladesh factory fire toll 65, may rise
24 February 2006 in Reuters
A fire that gutted a textile mill in Bangladesh's port city of Chittagong has killed at least 65 workers, many of them women, and left dozens missing, witnesses and hospitals said on Friday.
National Commission for Women plans moving court over AI hostesses' complaint
21 January 2006 in The Hindu
Taking cognizance of complaints by Air India hostesses of being superseded by junior male pursers, the National Commission for Women (NCW) is contemplating to move court in the matter.
Europe
German case to test boundaries of discrimination law (Germany)
07 April 2008 by Spiegel Online
How
much should discrimination cost? In Germany, it has long been cheap.
But a case currently working its way through the courts may provide
expensive teeth to the country's 19-month-old anti-discrimination law.
Wage discrimination of Bangladeshi female restaurant workers in UK
06 April 2008 by The New Nation
The
British citizens of Bangladesh descent at a seminar in the city
presented an observation report in which they claimed that the
Bangladeshi restaurant owners discriminate between Bangladeshi
irregular male and female workers in wages.
1,500 women's £10m claim (UK)
02 April 2008 by Manchester Evening News
Poorly-paid women workers have launched a multi-million-pound claim
against a council for sex discrimination. Local authorities across the
country are offering compensation of up to £8,000 for female employees
who suffered from a long-standing pay disparity.
Pregnancy discrimination puts diversity in the spotlight (UK)
02 April 2008 by HR Zone
As many as 30,000 women a year lose their jobs simply for being
pregnant, and the news has renewed calls for diversity to be put centre
stage.
Mum suing CC over sex discrimination (Hungary)
31 March 2008 by The Lawyer
Former
Budapest associate Maia Christie is claiming that the firm
discriminated against her because she was pregnant and a part-time
worker.
Pregnancy costs 30,000 women their job a year (UK)
31 March 2008 by Daily Mail
Expectant
mothers and women who have just given birth face high levels of sex
discrimination and are denied the flexible working they need,
says Sexism and the City report.
Christina Rich in £2 million settlement (UK)
31 March 2008 by Teregraph
A British businesswoman has received £2 million in one of the world's
biggest ever payouts for a claim of sexual harassment. Christina Rich,
a financial adviser, was the highest-paid partner in
PriceWaterhouseCoopers' office in Australia when she resigned, claiming
that she had suffered more than a decade of bullying and harassment.
New sexual harassment law to protect staff from customers (UK)
31 March 2008 by Guardian
Employers will be duty-bound from next week to protect their staff from
sexual harassment by customers, suppliers and others they encounter in
the course of their
work.
Women's group calls for end to City's lap-dancing culture (UK)
31 March 2008 by The Independent
Women's
rights campaigners have called for an end to the use of strip clubs as
venues for business meetings, as a report exposes their widespread use
by London city firms.
Executive was told she was 'useless' pregnant (UK)
08 January 2008 by The Telegraph
A
successful sales executive who was told by her boss that she would be
"useless" because she was pregnant will receive up to £200,000 in
compensation after winning her sex discrimination claim.
Norwegian Women Break into the Boardroom
14 Jan 2008 by Feminist Majority Foundation
Norwegian
law now requires publicly listed corporations to have at least 40
percent women on their boards of directors. The legislation was
actually introduced in 2003,
but gave companies five years to
bring more women onto their boards with a January 1, 2008 deadline
according to the BBC. Norway now ranks the highest for women on
corporate boards.
Europe to Sanction US Companies
28 November 2007 by Banana Link
Brussels -The European Union said on Tuesday that it will sanction the US companies Dole, Chiquita Brands and Del Monte, the Ecuadorean firm Noboa and Ireland's Fyffes for creating a banana cartel in Europe. European Commissioner for Competition Neelie Kroes sent a letter to the affected companies early this week informing them about the measure, EU sources said. It is not the first time that Brussels puts those big multinational companies under observation.
We must do more to tackle pay inequality, admits Harman (UK)
24 September 2007 by The Guardian
Harriet Harman today backed calls for tougher action to close the
gender pay gap still in place 10 years after Labour first came to
power.The deputy Labour party leader responded to two conference
motions calling for tougher measures to close the endemic pay gap which
persists 30 years after the Equal Pay Act was first introduced.
This time, the girls, the resistance, and human pride will win (Turkey)
22 September 2007 by Reuters UK.
Solidarity campaigns are underway with the Novamed workers who have
been on strike for a year. The editor of the Women’s magazine of the
Petroleum Workers’ Union, Petrol-??, Necla Akgökçe, gave a brief
history of the women’s strike,and talked about the important features
of this resistance and its current situation in her interview.
Top UK fashion firms failing poorest workers- report
14 September 2007 by Reuters UK
Some of Britain's fashion retailers are not doing enough to help lift
workers who make their clothes out of poverty, according to a report
published by two charities.War on Want and Labour Behind the Label
surveyed 34 retailers and said 12 firms and brands "cold-shouldered the
only detailed study on the case for garment employees to receive a
living wage."
Spanish court heralds era of sex equality
12 September 2007 by Financial Times
A
Barcelona judge struck a blow for sexual equality this week by ruling
that El Corte Inglés, Spain’s largest retailer, discriminated against
women at work.The ruling against El Corte Inglés comes only six months
after Spain’s Socialist government approved a far-reaching new gender
equality law that aims to sweep away all relics of discrimination in
macho Spain.
Pay gap is growing between men and women (UK)
05 September 2007 in The Daily Telegraph
The
pay gap between men and women in top professional jobs has increased
for the first time in more than a decade, a major survey discloses
today. The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) found that male
managers were paid an average of £6,076 a year more than their female
counterparts, while male directors earned
£
49,233 more.
Cameron pledges 'pay audit' action on g