Commentary Archive
The WRC is pleased to report that Lucky Brand has made a humanitarian contribution of $500,000 to assist garment workers at the Industrial Hana factory in Guatemala, which was, prior to its closure, a subcontractor for one of Lucky Brand’s direct apparel suppliers. As the WRC has previously reported, the Industrial Hana factory closed in…
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Japanese Brands Refuse to Hold Supplier Accountable for Wrongful Imprisonment of Worker Leader ASICS and MUJI continue to turn their backs on egregious human rights violations at their Cambodian supplier, Wing Star Shoes. The factory wrongfully imprisoned union leader Chea Chan for more than six months on baseless, retaliatory charges—an outrageous breach of Cambodian labor…
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Leading Uniform Maker Won’t Require Haitian Supplier Factory to Rehire Worker Leaders Despite political chaos, rampant gang violence, and a near total breakdown in the rule of law, Haiti has remained a significant production hub for employee workwear for the US market. This has been due to trade preferences and because the poverty-stricken country has…
Read More Youn nan pi Gwo Konpayi ki fè Inifòm nan Mond pa vle Mande yon Faktori ki ap Travay pou li nan Peyi Ayiti pou Re-anplwaye lidè Sendika ke Faktori a revoke Ilegalman Malgre kiriz politik, vyolans gang ki ap ravaje peyi Ayiti, epi ki prèske lakoz efondreman total nan règ lalwa peyi a, Ayiti toujou…
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Industrialist Robert Ng deprived 900 low-wage workers at his Thai production facility of $5 million in legally mandated compensation. Five years later, he still refuses to pay workers the money owed to them. His recalcitrance is being enabled by leading apparel brands and retailers in the US and Europe that continue to reward him with…
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Despite widespread gang violence and the collapse of civil authority in Haiti, the WRC has continued achieving concrete remedies for violations of workers’ rights in the country—including securing justice for worker leaders fired for speaking out against abusive conditions. In May 2025, the WRC achieved a settlement equivalent to 14 full years’ wages for the…
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Fruit of the Loom, which made groundbreaking commitments in 2009 to ensure that its employees in Honduras could exercise their legal right to form unions freely and without retaliation, is now in the final stages of closing its two remaining unionized garment factories in the country. These closures are tragic for the thousands of workers affected: for nearly 15 years, they enjoyed respect for their right to freedom of association and better wages and conditions achieved through collective bargaining.
Read More Al cerrar sus fábricas de confección sindicalizadas que quedaban en Honduras, Fruit of the Loom está perjudicando a los trabajadores y matando a un símbolo del progreso para los derechos laborales Fruit of the Loom, marca que asumió compromisos innovadores en el año 2009 para garantizar que sus empleados en Honduras pudieran ejercer su derecho…
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Whether or not there are further tariff increases on apparel and footwear beyond the additional 10% across-the-board rate and the 30% rate on China currently in effect, a vital question for garment workers is whether international brands will act responsibly or push the cost of higher tariffs onto the shoulders of suppliers and workers, who…
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Gap Allowed Haiti Factory to Swindle Pregnant Workers, Carry Out Mass Firing of Union Leaders
US retailer Gap is refusing to require a Haitian factory that makes clothing for its Old Navy stores to reinstate and compensate women workers who were cheated out of maternity benefits after being dismissed during pregnancy, as well as leaders of a factory union who were fired en masse, in violation of Haitian labor laws…
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