THE FAIR TRADE CHARTER FOR GARMENTS

  The Fair trade Charter for Garments is a code of conduct for all retailers selling clothing in the Netherlands. The Charter forms a part of the Clean Clothes Campaign.

  The objective of the Charter is to improve working circumstances and conditions in the garment industry. Garment production is understood to be all activities that take place after the production (dyeing included) of the cloth. The central idea is that the retailers, as subcontractors and buyers, are responsible and, through their policy, capable of realising better working circumstances and conditions.
  Stated in the Charter are seven conditions production has to comply with. These are based on the conventions of the ILO (International Labor Office). They concern the most elementary labour rights: the right to organize and to collective bargaining, the right to a living wage and to safe and healthy working cirscumstances as well as the conventions relating to maximum hours of work, minimum age and non-discrimination.
   Retailers, upon signing get the right to a trademark - they can advertize themselves as sellers of clean clothes. They also put themselves open to control by an independent institution. This is to be set up by a coalition of representatives of consumers-, workers- and branche- organisations. The institution will investigate complaints and check on the information supplied by the retailer. The retailer can be addressed, and eventually lose the trade-mark, if the clothing they sell is produced in violation of the code.

The Retailer

  1. Takes full responsibility for the way in which the garments they sell are produced. All garments are produced in compliance with the conditions for production stated. It is stressed that this responsibility is extended to the entire chain of subcontracting. When in the following the term 'workers' is used this encompasses all female and male persons working in garment production, including home-based workers, temporary-, part-time and seasonal worrkers, illegal and sweatshop workers and migrant workers without residency.

  2. Puts itself open to control by an independent controlling institution to be set up for this purpose and cooperates wholeheartedly by giving any information asked for at any time (both with respect to general company policy and financial performance as with respect to production, subcontracting and buying). Retailers are also obliged to support the controlling institution financially by donating a certain percentage of their annual turnover.

Conditions for Production

  1. Workers have the right to freely organize and to establish and join independant trade unions and other organisations of their own choosing, without previous authorisation. ILO Convention no. 87: Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize Convention. Number of ratifications (per 1/1/91): 98.

  2. Workers have the right to have representative organisations of their own choosing recognised for the purpose of collective bargaining. The collective bargaining takes place withouts any acts of interference by the employers. Convention no. 98: Right to Orgainze and Collective Bargaining Convention. Number of ratifications: 114.

  3. The workers make a living wage, at least sufficient for the basic needs (food, clothing and shelter) of themselves and their direct family dependants. The amount equals at least the minimum wage of the respective country. Referring to convention no. 26, Convention concerning the Creation of Minimum Wage Fixing Machinery. The ways in which a minimum wage can be fixed or changed are elaborated. Number of ratifications: 98. Concerning the wage-level article 2 and 3 of convention 131, concerning Minimum Wage Fixing with Special Reference to Developing Countries, is referred to (number of ratifications: 34) as well as the UN calculation concerning the cost of living.

  4. The number of hours worked per week and the arrangements concerning (the pay of) overwork are for all workers in compliance with the ILO standards. Convention no. 1. Convention limiting the hours of work in Industrial Undertakings to Eight in the Day and Forty-eight in the week. Number of ratifications: 49. If national law states a maximum lower than this employers have to act according to the law.

  5. The standards for safety and health as set by the ILO should be observed. Convention no. 155, concerning Occupationl Safety and the Working Environment (specifically part IV; Action at the level of the Undertaking). Number of ratifications: 12.

  6. Employers respect the minimum age requirements of the ILO. Convention no. 138, concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment. Number of ratifications: 40.

  7. Employers pursue policies designed to promote equality of opportunity and treatment in employment. This means there will be no discrimination on race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction or social origin. Convention no. 111, concerning Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation. Number of ratifications: 110.
Lastly the Retailer id required to protest actively with the subcontractor/supplier in case of compliants concerning the violation of any ILO convention other than the abovementioned.
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