3rd Anniversary of Rana Plaza: Safety standards are still lacking in many factories, including H&M suppliers

Almost three years after Rana Plaza and after H&M signed the Building Security Agreement for Bangladesh, those people who sew for H&M dresses continue to work in extremely unsafe conditions. In many cases, there is still a lack of basic, life-saving security measures.

On the initiative of the international CCC, the International Labor Rights Forum and United Students Against Sweatshops, the website http://www.hmbrokenpromises.com Background information and the possibility to send a protest letter.

Although the implementation of corrective measures by suppliers of many large buyers is slow, wasThe situation of H&M suppliers is specifically investigated by the CCC, because H&M claims to be particularly sustainable more than others.

On this occasion, numerous protests were held on 3 May 2016 (H&M Shareholders' Meeting). FEMNET protested in front of the H&M branch in Bonn.

FEMNET action day ahead of H&M on May 3, 2016.
Photo: © FEMNET

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Clean Clothes Campaign report three years after Rana Plaza

OECD complaint against TÜV Rheinland:
Rana Plaza audit report has not complained about working conditions and safety risks

FEMNET has supported the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), together with those affected by the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory complex in Dhaka (Bangladesh), as well as the trade unions Garment Workers Unity Forum and Comrade Rubel Memorial Center from Bangladesh and Medico, to file an OECD complaint against the German certification company TÜV Rheinland. This is about the insufficient test report on a production site in the Rana Plaza factory complex.

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The collapsed Rana Plaza building in Savar.
Photo: rijans - Flickr.com

FEMNET's participation in the Textile Alliance

FEMNET represents civil society in the steering group and actively participates in the review process and implementation and internationalisation working groups. The work is intense and time-consuming, but still seems rewarding to us. An important point of discussion is the issue of graduated transparency: What should the members of the Textile Alliance report to the outside world about the implementation of their self-imposed goals? We are committed to maximum transparency. By the end of the year, all members of the Textile Alliance are expected to have drawn up their ‘roadmaps’, i.e. their strategic planning for the implementation of social and environmental standards in the supply chain.

To ensure that these roadmaps and, above all, their implementation can be adequately reviewed, the AG Review develops guidelines for the development of indicators. In the working group implementation, FEMNET has introduced the initiative of our Indian partners to fundamentally change the working conditions in the spinning mills in Tamil Nadu and to end the exploitation of young women there. For this purpose, FEMNET organized as a first step a Conference on 12 May 2016 in Berlin Invite companies and politicians to do so.

Federal Minister of Development Dr. Gerd Müller.
Photo: © Alliance for Sustainable Textiles

FEMNET at HUGO BOSS Annual General Meeting on May 19, 2016

Gisela Burckhardt had submitted a counter-proposal for the non-exoneration of the Management Board for the Shareholders' Meeting of HUGO BOSS on 19 May. Research by Cividep, FEMNET's partner in India, at two Hugo Boss suppliers shows that despite overtime, workers' salaries are not enough to cover their monthly expenses, let alone save money for the future. The employees earn monthly 6000-7800 rupees gross (78 to 102 EUR), for the rent of the apartment they alone need half to two thirds of this amount.

Because of their low wages, the workers are forced to take out loans, i.e. to get into debt, e.g. to enable their children to attend school or to pay for medication. Do they look like fair wages?

Hugo Boss jeans labels

• Textual request (PDF file)
• Report on the Annual General Meeting

WeltWitWissen Congress - FairSchnitt awarded as flagship project

The FairSchnitt project was selected as one of 25 best practice projects by a jury of representatives of civil society, academia and the media to present themselves on the education market of the WeltWeitWissen Congress.

Michaela Reithinger and Vanessa Püllen presented the educational project of FEMNET and participated in the interesting events around the future issues of global learning.

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Rollup to the project at the congress "WeltWeitWissen".
Photo: © FEMNET

Are seals a solution? – Second FEMNET expert workshop on 15 April 2016

The FEMNET expert workshop entered its second round on 15 April 2016. Lecturers from various fashion-related courses and FEMNET's multipliers had the opportunity to discuss current developments relating to ‘fair production conditions in the apparel industry’.

Expert speakers from politics, business and civil society gave substantive input with lectures and panel discussions. This year's symposium was entitled "Working conditions in the textile and clothing industry: are seals a solution?"

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Discussion on the anchoring of sustainable content in fashion studies.
Photo: © FEMNET

Other new articles about FairSchnitt's work:

• Successful multiplier training on 15 and 16 April 2016

• Internship report of a journalism student at FEMNET

• Women multipliers trained on forced labour in South Indian spinning mills
  

India project: The modern form of slavery in South Indian spinning mills

From 9 to 20 May 2016, FEMNET conducted a nationwide lecture tour with two experts from India in cooperation with partner organisations. The scientist Dr. Anibel Ferus-Comelo, author of the study, as well as Mary Viyakula, employee of the NGO SAVE (Social Awareness & Voluntary Education), reported on the camp-labour system and the related human rights violations at public events in several German cities.

At the kick-off event on 9 May in Bonn, which received a great response, the two guests reported on the exploitative conditions of the Camp Labour system and called on companies and civil society to take action.

In the subsequent panel discussion, the possibilities of responsible action by companies and consumers were controversially discussed.

Dr. Anibel Ferus-Comelo during her lecture.
Photo: © Pat Röhring

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17-year-old worker found dead near spinning mill

Conference in Berlin on 12 May 2016 on the subject of exploitation in Indian spinning mills with business and politics within the framework of the Textile Alliance

The unbearable conditions in the textile industry were the subject of a conference in Berlin on 12 May. Members of the textile alliance from civil society, politics and business discussed with our southern guests from India how they can jointly combat the modern form of slavery (camp-labour system) in South Indian spinning mills. Six large companies (Tchibo, Otto, KiK, C&A, H&M, Primark) participated in the conference.

FEMNET organized this symposium in the hope of launching, together with the industry, an initiative within the framework of the Textile Alliance for a fundamental improvement of working conditions in spinning mills.

They agreed on a core group to present the initiative in the Textile Alliance. If the green light is given there, there should be a conference in Tamil Nadu in 3-4 months with all the main stakeholders.

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Conference on 12 May 2016.
Photo: © FEMNET

More than one hundred thousand Indian textile workers protested against pension insurance changes - with success

The Indian government planned a law according to which the payment of the pension should only be possible from the retirement age. In reality, however, for the majority of workers in the low-wage sector, pensions are a luxury that few can afford. Therefore, the workers have so far been able to withdraw the full amount paid in before the end of ten years if necessary. In the clothing industry, 90% of workers have been forced to do so in the past to make unexpected payments that they would otherwise not have been able to afford with their low salaries.

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Demonstrations on Labor Day in Bangalore.
Photo: © Sanjita Majumder/Cividep

News from the association

General Assembly on 9 April 2016

On Saturday, April 9, 20 members met for the FEMNET General Assembly. The morning was all about content work. Chair Gisela Burckhardt reported on the progress in the Textile Alliance, Marie-Luise Lämmle presented the new project on Fair Public Procurement, which was launched in 2015 with a pilot project, and Anne Neumann illustrated the many activities and progress of FairSchnitt. Vanessa Püllen gave an insight into the Solidarity Fund and reported on the activities of the partner organisations in India and Bangladesh.

After lunch, the club's affairs were on the agenda. The new employees were introduced and it was appreciated what remarkable development the association has taken in 2015 (read in the Annual Report 2015, PDF file). Andrea Lindner presented the 2015 financial report and briefly explained the figures. In the election of the assessors, Christiane Kühnrich was confirmed in her office, as the second assessor Anna Hoff was re-elected to the board after a two-year child break.

Participants of the MV 2016.
Photo: © FEMNET

Regular table becomes FairQuatschen

Our regulars' table in Bonn celebrates its two-year anniversary in June and we found it time to modernize it a bit. The regulars' table is now called "FairQuatschen in Bonn - open FEMNET meeting". The deadline remains: We meet every 2nd. Tuesday of the month in the café of the Brotfabrik in Beuel at 7 p.m.

• What is the global supply chain of the apparel industry?
• What are the working conditions in the producing countries?
• What are the responsibilities of politics, business and civil society?
• What are the standards and how are they implemented?

We discuss these and other questions with interested people and insiders.

Open meeting FairQuatschen.
Photo: © FEMNET

At the beginning of the year, for example, we visited the eco-fair Bonn label Alma & Lovis and learned a lot from the two founders about the sometimes difficult way to build a sustainable label. In April of this year, Heide Schütz from the Women's Network for Peace informed us about UN Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. We talked about the concept of peace culture and what role strong women play in it. We will continue to address exciting topics in the coming months.

We are happy about every new (and old) face that FairQuatschen wants with us.

The next Dates are on our homepage to find.
If you do not want to miss an appointment, you can go to the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.enter.