Asia’s garment workers say virus used as cover to smash unions

The crippling effect of the pandemic has seen orders worth billions of dollars cancelled across manufacturing hubs in China, Bangladesh, India, Cambodia and Myanmar.But workers allege the financial turmoil has also provided an opportunity for bosses to target troublesome shop floors where unions have pressed for higher wages and better conditions.

Gautam Mody, general-secretary of the New Trade Union Initiative, which represents hundreds of workers’ groups across India, said the firm was “union-busting under the pretext of Covid-19”. Orders worth billions of dollars have been cancelled across manufacturing hubs in China, Bangladesh, India, Cambodia and Myanmar. AFP/MUNIR UZ ZAMANAbout half are involved with unions, according to Rafiqul Islam Sujon, president of the Bangladesh Garments and Shilpo Sramik Federation, a rights group.

Major brands are now being urged to use their financial muscle to protect the most vulnerable in their supply chains. “Such anti-retaliation laws exist in most countries, including Cambodia, Myanmar and India — though they are, unfortunately, often not enforced.”In Myanmar, where the nascent garment sector was seen before the pandemic as a beacon of prosperity, 298 workers were fired in May at the Rui Ning factory, which produces clothes for the likes of Spanish fast-fashion brand Zara.

“Surely a man of such riches would not need to profit from the global pandemic by smashing our unions,” it said.Inditex said it was aware of the labour disputes and cited its code of conduct, which “expressly forbids discrimination against workers’ representatives”.

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