#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

2020-08-06

Inditex and IndustriALL to cooperate on garment industry recovery plan

Inditex Executive Chairman, Pablo Isla, and Industriall Global Union General Secretary, Valter Sanches, during the X Anniversary of the Global Framework Agreement in 2017 (c) 2020 Inditex

Inditex, the leading multinational company in the garment industry that owns Zara and other high street brands, and IndustriALL Global Union, which represents 55 million industrial workers, will together support the global garment industry to recover from the crisis created by the pandemic.

The organizations pledged to do this in a joint declaration signed in Arteixo and Geneva on 4 August.

In many countries that produce garments for the sector, there have been large scale job losses and economic hardship for workers. This agreement deepens Inditex’s longstanding commitment to freedom of association and collective bargaining rights and social dialogue. Additionally, the agreement enhances Inditex’s commitment to stable payment terms and to broader access to financing for suppliers in order to support their cash flow. This enables them to honour payments to workers so that jobs and incomes are protected.

The agreement builds on a longstanding partnership between the company and the global union, which began with a global framework agreement signed in 2007 and renewed in 2019.

The agreement pledges to respect freedom of association and collective bargaining rights, giving workers the right to join a union to advance their interests. It promotes social dialogue at all levels, and commits both organizations to working with governments and business organizations in source countries.

The agreement reinforces commitments to other multi-stakeholder initiatives, including the ILO Call to Action in the Global Garment Industry and the ACT initiative.

The health and safety of workers will be ensured. Supplier companies will implement protective measures, and provide personal protective equipment. As Covid-19 restrictions are lifted and economies reopen, Inditex and the global union committee will monitor the safe resumption of normal operations.

Inditex Executive Chairman Pablo Isla said:

“Our priority through this crisis has been and continues to be the health and safety of our people, the workers in our supply chain and our customers.

“Our longstanding and fruitful work with IndustriALL for over 13 years makes our framework agreement a strong tool to keep working to protect and promote workers’ rights and well- being, while supporting the global garment industry during these unprecedented times.”

Industriall Global Union General Secretary Valter Sanches said:

“The Covid-19 pandemic caused a crisis in the textile and garment industry that led unions to experience mass job losses, unsafe working conditions and attacks on workers’ rights. Many of our members saw their livelihoods collapse entirely.

“The manufacturing suppliers need stability and predictability so that employment and income can be preserved. That’s what this commitment entails. We are working together to help the industry to develop the resilience to recover from the crisis, saving jobs and preserving the rights and income of workers.”

Inditex is one of the world's largest fashion retailers, with eight brands (Zara, Pull&Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, Zara Home and Uterqüe) selling in 202 markets through its online platform or its over 7,000 integrated stores in 96 markets.

IndustriALL represents 55 million workers in energy, mining and manufacturing worldwide, including textile and garment workers in the producing countries.

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