The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) has asked three of its members to
investigate accusations that workers in their supply chain are
regularly working 80 hours a week for only 5p (9.8 cents) an hour and
in dangerous conditions.
In its Fashion Victims report,
War on Want last month alleged that conditions in some Bangladesh
clothing factories supplying Asda, Primark and Tesco – all ETI members
– do not comply with the companies’ codes of conduct, and that
suppliers circumvent social audits by instructing workers to lie about
their pay, hours and safety.
ETI director Dan Rees said: ‘War on Want has raised serious
allegations, which we have advised our member companies to promptly
investigate.’
Rees emphasized, however, that ‘we need to engage with the entire
industry and government’ if real changes are to be made in the
Bangladesh garment sector. He said ETI members ‘have been reaching out
to the Bangladesh government and industry and to brands around the
world to try to get a joined-up approach’.
