Promoting Just Wages for Laborers in Sweatshops: What is a Consumer to Do?

(RV - 29 July 2010) The Bangladesh government today said it would nearly double the minimum wage for millions of workers in the key export garment industry, but the raise is much less than workers have been demanding.

Dozens of workers were injured in clashes with police last month at protests over salaries and working conditions that disrupted production at several factories.

Bangladeshis workers are not alone.  Police in Cambodia this week broke up an attempted strike by garment workers, who were forced back into their factories.

Meanwhile, shoe giant Nike this week promised to pay workers in a factory closed last year a severance package that had earlier been denied them.

Millions of consumers around the world say they want garments made under just working conditions, but do not know how to ensure their clothing was not made in a sweatshop.

We spoke to CAFOD’S Private Sector Analyst, Anne Lindsay, about what consumers can do.