Sri Lanka: The Crisis and Justice for Garment Workers Seminar

On 22nd March 2023, Fashion-Enter Ltd’s Director, Caroline Ash, attended an industry seminar organised by the Trades Union Congress to discuss how Sri Lanka’s political and economic crisis has left garment workers facing an uncertain future.

Held in the UK’s garment manufacturing hub Leicester, the seminar discussed how trade unionists in Sri Lanka and Leicester can support and deliver justice for garment workers globally.

Speakers at the seminar included:

• Anton Marcus: The Joint General Secretary of Free Trade Zones & General Services Employee Union (FTZ & GSEU) the largest trade union representing Sri Lankan garment workers 
• Padmini Weerasuriya: The Executive Director of Women’s Centre established 40 years ago by women workers in the Free Trade Zones. Women’s Centre works for dignity, equality and rights of women. 
• Chamila Thushari: Coordinator of the Da Bindu Collective (which means ‘beads of sweat’) formed by women to protect and promote women workers’ rights in
• Paresh Patel: Unite East Midlands Regional Secretary
• Amanda Gearing: Senior Organiser at GMB Midlands, leading organising at Amazon
• Ruth Ogier: War on Want Head of International Programmes
• Priya Thamotheram: Head of Centre, Highfields Centre, Leicester

According to recent press reports Sri Lankan apparel manufacturers have responded to falling export orders, higher interest rates and energy costs by slashing wages, adopting unethical practices and culling thousands of jobs.

Caroline said: “The seminar painted a very bleak picture of the garment manufacturing industry in Sri Lanka. The economic and debt crisis has increased unethical practices including poor wages, gender based violence, a cut in working hours and unemployment.” 

Other areas discussed included:

 + Sri Lankan’s have never achieved a living wage and now this has stagnated 

+ The 90% food price increase 

+ The role of brands that have invested a lot in Sri Lanka, having a responsibility to ensure proper salaries are paid without relying on overtime 

+ Currently workers are having their working hours/days cut down 

+ Female workers face gender based violence and unequal wages 

+ Audits are not effective in bringing out these issues of sexual harassment and pressure to increase productivity factories

+ The workers are told not to tell auditors the truth under threat of no work

+ The workers are living in bad conditions which are very stark

+ There is sexual exploitation and violence 

+ Announced audits do not work as the factory’s prepare and staff are pre-selected 

+ Retailers need to invest in Sri Lanka instead of pulling out

FEL is dedicated to the promotion of ethical and transparent manufacturing and offers CPPD workshops to demonstrate how an ethical factory operates and how to spot dirty practices, unethical processes and open costings. 

Tap here to find out more about FEL’s Level 1 Award in Workers’ Rights, this course has been developed to raise awareness of the basic employment rights provided by UK law.