In a move to eradicate sweatshops worldwide, a US task force has reached agreement on working conditions and wages in clothing and shoe factories, reports Paul Blustein
LEADING representatives of the United States clothing industry, responding to an anti- sweatshop initiative by President Bill Clinton, have reached what they call an “historic” agreement with labour and human- rights groups on a code of conduct for factories at home and abroad.
Under the accord, tentatively reached by a presidential task force after a seven-hour meeting, clothing and shoe companies would voluntarily adhere to guidelines on wages and working conditions in factories they own or contract with. The guidelines include a maximum 60-hour workweek, panel members said.
Independent monitors would inspect factories worldwide, and an association formed to award a seal of approval to companies whose factories comply with the code. Although the specifics haven’t been worked out, one possibility is that companies given the seal of approval would attach labels to their garments or shoes certifying their products have been made under non-sweatshop conditions.
“This is going to make a difference in a lot of people’s lives who have been working in the industry,” said Linda Golodner, co-chair of the 20-member task force and president of the National Consumers League, who said the panel is “extraordinarily close” to finishing its report but is still thrashing out a few details.
The report was released this week at the White House in a ceremony attended by Clinton. The president requested the establishment of the task force last August.
“It’s historic. I don’t know any other industry that has done this,” said Stanley Levy, a task-force member and lawyer who represents clothing companies.
Among the corporate task-force members was Kathie Lee Gifford, a television personality whose clothing line became the focus of a recent sweatshop controversy when allegations surfaced that workers making the garments were being exploited.
Other manufacturers represented on the task force were Liz Claiborne, LL Bean, Nike, Patagonia, Phillips-Van Heusen, Reebok International, Warnaco and the makers of the Nicole Miller and Tweeds labels. Also included were two representatives of labour unions, and representatives of organisations advocating human rights and corporate responsibility.
The agreement represents a hard-fought compromise among the disparate members over issues such as wages and working hours. Disagreements between the corporate and labour members threatened to cause a breakdown in recent weeks.
The meeting, held at a Washington law office, was attended by Gene Sperling, chairman of the White House National Economic Council.
The task force agreed a broad rule for a 60- hour maximum workweek, including a 48-hour regular week and 12 hours of overtime, task- force members said. In countries that legally cap the workweek at less than 60 hours, the lower figure would apply; and if workers genuinely volunteered to work longer overtime during busy periods, they could.