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ITUC: Leading sports brands and unions working together globally for
better working conditions
(M2 PressWIRE Via Acquire Media NewsEdge)
RDATE:02072008
Brussels -- (ITUC Press): A month before the start of the Beijing
Olympics key sporting goods brands including Nike, Adidas, New Balance,
Umbro and Speedo are forming a ground breaking joint working group with
trade unions and NGOs to explore amongst other issues how to promote
trade unionism and collective bargaining as well as improving wages
across the sector.
The joint group is charged with determining how to prioritise and
incentivise union organisation, collective bargaining and social
dialogue. It will seek to establish a better understanding of how
business is done including on manufacturing systems; costings;
productivity; and information required for effective contract
bargaining and dialogue.
Approaches to contract labour, closure procedures and training for
managers and workers will also be developed.
The sporting goods industry is responding to repeated pressure on
supplier factory conditions and demands for a living wage from the Play
Fair 2008 campaign (PF08), led by the ITUC (International Trade Union
Confederation), the ITGLWF (the International Textile, Garment and
Leather Workers Federation) and the CCC (Clean Clothes Campaign). The
PF08 released a report "Clearing the Hurdles" in April this year. The
report identified low wages; abuse of short-term contracts and other
forms of precarious employment; violations of freedom of association;
and factory closures due to industry restructuring as the four hurdles
to overcome. The report and the detailed targets in the report formed
the basis of a three day long conference in Hong Kong, ending today
July 2nd.
Contacts for the Play Fair 2008 coordinating organisations:
- CCC International Secretariat Esther de Haan: Tel. +31 642 24 31 53
Jeroen Merk: Tel. +31 646 74 46 62
- ITUC Mathieu Debroux, Press Officer Tel. +32 476 62 10 18
- ITGLWF Neil Kearney Tel. +32 475 93 24 87
Play Fair 2008 is an international campaign taking place in the lead up
to the 2008 Olympic Games to push for respect for workers' rights in
the production of Olympics-related merchandise and the global sporting
goods industry. To learn more about PF08 visit our website:
www.playfair2008.org
The ITUC represents 168 million workers in 155 countries and
territories and has 311 national affiliates.
CONTACT: ITUC Press Department
Tel: +32 2 224 0204
Tel: +32 4 766 21018
WWW: http://www.ituc-csi.org
((M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information
provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties.
Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at
http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to
info@m2.com)).
Copyright ? 2008 M2 Communications Ltd.
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