More than half of Sri Lanka’s economy relies on garment exports and industry organizations are pledging their support for the country amid ongoing economic difficulties.
In a letter dated July 26, unions and workers’ rights organizations, including the Clean Clothes Campaign, Labor Behind the Label, Maquila Solidarity Network, War on Want and Workers United, expressed their solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka , which, amid a debt crisis in the country, has faced shortages of food, fuel and energy, and the resulting protests led to the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last month.
Few brands have heeded labor organizers’ swift efforts to denounce the fallout, although massive anti-government protests sparked violence last week.
Citing decades of international debt and recent political strife, including attacks on protesters, the groups led a call to action to get the fashion industry’s attention.
The letter asserted: “We support and support the union’s call and appeal to national governments, international financial institutions, private sector enterprises (including international brands and retailers sourcing garments from Sri Lanka) and other stakeholders to supported an emergency relief program, medium and long-term financial support and a democratic political solution to the crisis.”
The hope, according to the letter, is to “amplify the voices of workers” in the apparel and sportswear industry by raising awareness of the hardships. It was officially posted on the Clean Clothes Campaign website, where a number of campaigns drawing attention to alleged wage theft and malfeasance in the industry are also underway.
According to the Business and Human Rights Resource Center, Sri Lanka’s garment industry employs more than 400,000 garment workers directly and about two million workers are employed indirectly through subcontracting networks.
Major brands, including Nike Inc., Uniqlo, Gap Inc., Everlane and others, manufacture locally.
