Nguyet Vu, a former bookkeeper who fled Vietnam in the 1980s, shared her journey at a Generation Women event in Sydney. After settling in Australia, she turned her hobby of sewing into a profession. Starting with small jobs for contractors, she worked long hours, often making as little as $100 a week due to deductions for mistakes made.
Rachel Reilly, the national manager at Ethical Clothing Australia, highlighted the prevalence of worker exploitation in the local industry. Outworkers, typically mature women from migrant backgrounds, are integral to the supply chain and can earn as little as $10 an hour, well below the minimum wage. The complexity of the supply chain makes it challenging to monitor their working conditions effectively.
Ethical Clothing Australia accredits businesses that adhere to Australian labor laws, ensuring fair pay and working conditions for employees. Despite the potential benefits, only a fraction of eligible businesses seek this certification. Reilly emphasized the importance of ethical practices in the fashion industry and urged consumers to support brands with the Ethical Clothing Australia label.
Consumers play a crucial role in combating worker exploitation by choosing ethically produced clothing. Reilly encouraged industry professionals to pursue accreditation, enabling them to trace their supply chain and ensure fair treatment of workers. By embedding ethical standards into business models, companies can enhance their reputation and contribute to a more sustainable industry.
Ensuring that workers are not exploited requires a collective effort from both businesses and consumers. By supporting ethical practices and demanding transparency in the fashion industry, individuals can promote fair treatment of garment workers and drive positive change in the sector.
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