Zara Accused of Unfair Production

Edz Threadz realizes that sweatshops are occurring around the world, even for multi millions dollar fashion label. The unfairly treated workers, need to be respected and valued in society, because without them, our world not be what it is today. We Studied many recent situations of overseas slave labour, and how we want to make a stand. One article was the retail fashion chain Zara was under investigation by Brazil's ministry of labour after a contractor in Sao Paulo was found to be using ''slave labour'' to make garments for the Spanish company.The Brazilian government has a list of 52 charges against Inditex, Zara's parent company, after it ''rescued'' 15 workers from a factory subcontracted by AHA, the company responsible for 90 per cent of Zara's Brazilian production. Fourteen of the workers were Bolivians and one was from Peru. One was 14.Inditex said in a statement that it could not be held responsible for ''unauthorised outsourcing'' but would compensate the workers because AHA had violated Inditex's code of conduct.Inditex said its 50 suppliers last year produced 7 million garments, with only 0.03 per cent made in unlicensed workshops. It was working with the ministry of labour to eradicate sweatshop conditions.Renato Bignami, who led the investigation, said the workers - who lived on the premises - were kept in a strict regime, working 12-hour shifts in dangerous and unhealthy conditions. ''They work 16 or even 18 hours a day,'' he said. ''It is extremely exhausting work, from Monday to Saturday, sometimes even Sunday depending on demand.''Many have to work for three or four months to pay off the ''coyotes'' who have smuggled them into the country.''These are classic cases of immigrant sweatshops,'' Mr Bignami said, adding that he had no doubt that such labour conditions amounted to modern-day slavery.Ineke Zeldenrust, of the Clean Clothes Campaign, in Amsterdam, said this type of subcontracting was common in the garment trade.        
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/zara-fashion-chain-linked-to-slave-labour-in-brazil-20110819-1j2c7.html#ixzz29Sr4YxKA

Michael Mansour