Gap faces labour protests
US unions highlight low pay for third world workers
November 21 2002
Clothing retailer Gap has faced renewed accusations of labour exploitation at a protest meeting in New York.
An alliance of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, the Africa Forum and a student protest group introduced Gap workers from Indonesia, Lesotho and El Salvador at a press conference.
The workers gave details of low pay and long hours in factories making Gap clothes, and alos highlighted health hazards and brutal working conditions. The group said it had documented “abusive working conditions” in 40 factories making Gap clothes in Cambodia, Indonesia and Bangladesh, Lesotho, El Salvador and Mexico.
Union official Steve Weingarten said: “We want Gap to stop exploiting sweatshop labour around the world. We want them to pay a wage that allows a decent standard of living and allow workers to organise unions to improve conditions in their factories.”
Gap spokeswoman Stacy MacLean said: “Overall we share these concerns, and we work with factories to make sure that standards are maintained. To the extent that we can influence that, we do.”
US corporations such as Gap and Nike have found themselves at the forefront of such protests due to their high profile and, ironically the popularity of the brands with the consumer profile most likely to protest.
However, in a clothing market where price deflation is a major factor, there has been a general move by western retailers to source products from cheaper markets.
