Respect rights of workers

Human Rights Watch yesterday said German apparel and footwear brands should promote workers' rights in their global operations by publicly disclosing the factories producing their products.

“German clothing brands should promote respect for worker rights and safety by making their global supply chains transparent,” said Wenzel Michalski, Germany director at HRW. 

In a recent report, '“Work Faster or Get Out': Labour Rights Abuses in Cambodia's Garment Industry,” HRW documented lax Cambodian government enforcement of labour laws and the need for apparel brands to improve their monitoring and compliance.

For the report, disclosed yesterday, the New York-based rights body examined labour practices in factories producing products for Adidas, Armani, Gap, H&M, Joe Fresh, and Marks and Spencer, among others.

The lack of transparency was evident following the collapse of Rana Plaza on April 24, 2013 in Dhaka, which housed a number of garment factories, killing more than 1,100 workers and injuring thousands more, the HRW said.