© NGWF NGWF's demands for Bangladeshi textile workers – Rana Plaza to be followed by COVID-19 Precarious working conditions and wages that serve scarcely to secure livelihoods. Textile workers are clearly feeling the COVID-19 crisis. The slump in Bangladesh's export business is having an impact on their shoulders. Demands for wages and fair treatment in the crisis are being made. The Rana Plaza disaster seven years ago exposed the precarious working conditions of the garment industry in Bangladesh. Bijoy (left in the picture in front) and Pervey (right in the picture in front) lost their parents when the factory building collapsed. Details Published: 08 May 2020 Read more …
© Cividep Increase in violence against women and girls The corona crisis means existential uncertainty. Without work and without wages, many workers are exposed to increased stress and concern about feeding their families. Domestic violence is rising. Details Published: 04 May 2020 Read more …
© SAVE Emergency aid arriving - SAVE in crisis The effects of the corona crisis are increasing and changing. At first, migrant workers were affected by the national curfew – they were stranded without work in the cities. Now they are threatened with the challenge of the global decline in orders and the long-term loss of their work. Details Published: 30 April 2020 Read more …
Coronavirus strengthens arguments for new EU textile laws FEMNET publishes joint vision for the global textile, apparel, leather and footwear (TGLF) sector with 64 civil society groups. Details Published: 27 April 2020 Read more …
© Greyson Joralemon - unsplash.com Good advice: City of Mannheim strengthens fair procurement The City of Mannheim sets itself ambitious goals: With its mission statement 2030, it wants to focus on fair procurement. FEMNET accompanied the Mannheim city administration in 2018 and 2019 to launch this project. Details Published: 25 April 2020 Read more …
© Markus Spiske - unsplash.com Fair uniforms: Law and order in procurement Berlin and Brandenburg want to be fairer: In the future, the employees of the public service should wear sustainable service clothing. FEMNET is currently advising the Central Procurement Office for Brandenburg. This procures workwear bundled for both federal states. Details Published: 25 April 2020 Read more …
© Taslima Akter Textile factories stand still – how do companies react? The coronavirus pandemic has severely affected the entire textile industry, both here and in the producing countries. Many companies cancel orders, no longer accept ordered goods or trade discounts. Others try to agree with their producers on burden sharing. In Germany, all clothing stores are currently closed, manufacturers and retailers without online sales are particularly bad. Strongly affected by the closures are in particular the fast fashion chains, which change their assortment every 4-6 weeks and buy huge quantities. Now they remain on the spring collection, which probably can no longer be fully sold when the shops reopen. Discount battles are to be presumed. Details Published: 20 April 2020 Read more …
© FEMNET Rana Plaza Memorial Day On April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh collapsed, killing 1,134 textile workers. Now, seven years after what is arguably the biggest catastrophe in the clothing sector, general working conditions for workers have improved little. Especially in the current corona crisis, it is also clear how little responsibility the big fashion companies really take on for their textile value chains. Unfortunately, many planned events and demonstrations had to be cancelled, so we are starting a special event for this year's Memorial Day. Join in action! Details Published: 16 April 2020 Read more …
The NGWF trade union distributes educational brochures and food in Bangladesh. © NGWF Support for textile workers in Bangladesh in the corona crisis The NGWF trade union is committed to the health and care of workers in the textile industry. In order to protect workers from infection and reduce the risk of pandemics, NGWF has published brochures on COVID-19 and necessary prevention measures. The leaflets were distributed in the local Bengali language as well as in English. Details Published: 15 April 2020 Read more …
Corona crisis causes emergencies. Food supply to textile worker in Bangladesh. © NGWF Impact of the corona crisis on textile workers in Bangladesh Bangladesh accounts for 75% of the textile industry's exports. The impact on employees in the absence of payments and new orders is catastrophic. Rubana Huq, president of BGMEA, said buyers had canceled $3.15 billion worth of orders in 1,134 factories or did not take off goods. Details Published: 15 April 2020 Read more …
