H&M Group expands cooperation with International Labor Organization

UN’s International Labor Organization (ILO) and H&M Group have announced
the expansion of their partnership to improve working conditions in the
textile and garment industry.

According to a statement by H&M, the two parties have been working
together since 2001 in Cambodia and Bangladesh to bring governments,
factory owners, unions and workers together to discuss a range of issues
including wages, work quality, productivity, and the documentation and
recognition of workers’ skills. “The new partnership will include more H&M
Group business functions than before, making it even broader”, said the
Swedish fast fashion giant.

“While global production systems have created millions of jobs
opportunities in the garment sector, mostly for young women, sometimes
wages and working conditions are not in compliance with national labor
laws. At times, freedom of association and the right to collective
bargaining are restricted or denied. Legal minimum wages are not always
implemented or enforced, or are set too low to adequately support
livelihoods”, added the fashion company.

This month, thousands of garment factory workers in Bangladesh as many factory owners failed to
implement a minimum wage raise announced by the government in September and
supposed to be put into effect in December. The police used rubber bullets,
tear gas and water cannons against the protesters, killing at least one and
injuring dozens.