Category: Labour rights

Two years ago Oxfam released its first “Naughty or Nice” list. We outed the brands who refused to protect their workers rights and applauded the ones who did. Now, in 2015, what’s changed? Who still won’t sign the Accord? And how do you demand more for the people that make your clothes? Read more »

Bangladesh is well known for the appalling conditions under which many of its garment sector employees have to work. Both in terms of the physical conditions, but also the wages they’re paid, which are among the lowest in the region. But despite the many Australian companies that have met, or exceeded, the Australian community’s demands to improve workers’ conditions, there are still some holding out. Read more »

In the last week, thousands of Australians have asked Just Group a simple question: “When are you going to stop breaking hearts and sign the Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Accord?” Their response? Not happening. Stop asking. Read more »

Australians love denim. 670,000 tonnes of the stuff in 2014 alone and with a $56 billion price tag. That’s a lot of cheddar, and a whole lot of denim. For the last two years we have pressured ten of the country’s largest garment manufacturers to sign the Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Accord — but two companies refuse to sign. Read more »

Most clothing and footwear companies are highly secretive about the factories that supply to them. But, in addition to signing this important safety agreement, companies are now starting to tell us where their factories are. For the first time ever we can now see where Big W (owned by Woolworths) is making its clothes in Bangladesh. Read more »

It’s been a few weeks of catwalks, convos and clothes inside out – and with the one year anniversary of the Rana Plaza collapse, MB Fashion week + Fashion Revolution Day, it seems like the perfect time to go behind the seams and talk ethical fashion. Welcome to 3things’ Ethical Fashion Season – a celebration of compassion fashion, ethical clothes, sartorial sanity, […] Read more »

Kalpona is a former child worker who started work in garment factories when she was twelve. She is now the Executive Director of the Bangladesh Centre for Worker Solidarity (BCWS), one of Bangladesh’s most prominent labour rights organisations. Find out how you can help improve the rights of workers in Bangladesh. Read more »

Sumi Abedin was working in the Tarzeen garment factory in Bangladesh when she was forced to make a chilling decision. Trapped in the burning factory and faced with the horrific choice between burning alive or jumping to certain death, she chose to jump. Read more »

Since April 2013 Oxfam has been asking Australian companies sourcing from Bangladesh to join the Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Accord. The Accord is a legally binding initiative that mandates independent safety inspections (involving trade unions and local groups), the right for workers to be able refuse dangerous work and obliges companies to help pay […] Read more »

The Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Accord brings together the United Nation’s International Labour Organization, Bangladeshi unions, international unions, the Bangladesh Government and garment companies to oversee safety inspections into more than 1600 garment factories in Bangladesh. We are concerned that company’s own auditing programs and safety checks are not enough to ensure long term […] Read more »