Bargaining for a Living Wage Campaign
A Summary of the ITGLWF's Living Wage Activities in 2011
1. Nine Training Workshops held in 8 Countries involving a total of 56 trade unions and 240 trade union officials. 45% of participants were female.
2. ITGLWF Living Wage campaign formally launched in the Americas, Africa, and in the MENA Regions
3. National Living Wage Action Plans Developed and Initiated in Pakistan, Morocco, Tunisia (Pakistan Press Conference and Meeting with ILO Country Director held to launch Living Wage Campaign)
4. Next Steps of Living Wage campaign identified in 8 Asian Countries and at Regional level in Africa, Americas, MENA regions
5. Expansion of Living Wage to Include specific goal of equal pay for equal work following Africa Regional Meeting.
6. Defined Living Wage Figures for Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Pakistan,
7. Creation of Facebook Page to be used as information sharing platform and to be Administered by Affiliates
8. In depth Research Studies carried out in Sri Lanka and Cambodia
Launch of ITGLWF Living Wage Campaign - October 7th 2008 - World Day for Decent Work
“ October 7 World Day for Decent Work: Bargaining for a Living Wage"
In almost every part of the world the story is the same: garment workers don’t earn enough to support their families and as a result are forced to work excessively long hours to try to make ends meet.
Why is this happening?
Most countries have a legal minimum wage but in almost every case this is inadequate to meet basic needs.
Unions in many producing countries are unable to negotiate a living wage because employers suppress the fundamental right of their workers to organise and bargain collectively.
When unions do succeed in engaging in negotiations, their employers claim that because of fierce competition in international markets they will be forced to close down if they have to pay increased wages.
Many of the leading brands that source from these same manufacturers have adopted codes of conduct that provide for the payment of a living wage. Yet this commitment remains a dead letter. While claiming they want their codes of conduct to be respected, brands and retailers continue to engage in purchasing practices that make it impossible for manufacturers to pay a living wage, paying pitiful prices and demanding unrealistic delivery schedules.
And even if a brand or retailer did agree to pay higher prices, there is no guarantee that their suppliers would pass the benefit on to their workers in the form of a living wage.
The ITGLWF believes the best way to secure a living wage is to ensure that workers are free to organise and bargain collectively. That’s why for the World Day for Decent Work on October 7 2008 the ITGLWF has chosen as its campaign theme ‘Bargaining for a Living Wage’.
‘Bargaining for a Living Wage – a Trade Union Guide’
