“EDMUND JUSTICE”
Vol
8, November 2005
Outworkers - Dignity comes with a Price
Tag
“If through necessity or fear of a
worse evil, the workman accepts harder conditions because an employer or
contractor will give him no better, he is the victim of force and
injustice.”
Pope Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum
In Australia 70% of clothing manufacture is done off-shore and 30% is done
on-shore. One of the reasons why there will always be a certain percentage
done locally is to comply with the Australian Made label.
Who are outworkers?
 |
Mainly women who work from home or off-site to sew garments
sold in shops and markets. |
|
When labour is contracted out - thus the term “outworker”
or “homeworker” is used. |
|
93% of outworkers - female |
How many outworkers are there in Australia?
|
Vic - 144,000; Qld - 25000; NSW - 120,000 |
|
SA - 25000; WA - 15000 Estimated Total =
329,000 |
|
15 outworkers per factory workers |
How much do outworkers earn?
|
On average outworkers work 12-14 hours per day,
|
|
6-7 days per week |
|
Some earn $100-$150 per week (less than $2.00 per hour ) |
|
Legal minimum wage -$460.50 for 38 hrs ($12.11 per hr) |
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Some do not get paid at all |
What problems do they face?
|
Low wages, long hours (12-16 ) |
|
Because they are contracted workers, normally no
Work-cover, holiday or sick pay or superannuation |
|
3 times level of chronic injuries of factory workers |
If there are higher wages for outworkers, will companies go off- shore or
charge more for clothes?
|
Short turn-around time means fashion items will probably
still be made in Aust. |
|
If workers do not work long hours, there may be more jobs. |
|
Some retailers and sub-contractors with high pay profit
margins could absorb fairer wages into their costs
|
Why do people accept such poor conditions?
|
Majority are migrants or refugees |
|
Many do not speak or read English or illiterate |
|
Some are threatened by sub-contractors with deportation |
|
Many new arrivals do not know what to do or who to see
about unfair wages or conditions. |
What can be done?
|
Code of Practice drawn up by TCFU (Textile clothing &
Footwear Union) sets out fair conditions & wages |
|
Designed to monitor the contracting chain from retailer to
outworker |
How do I know if the clothes I buy are made under fair conditions?
|
Manufacturers & retailers who sign up for the code can
display |
|
“No Sweat Shop” labels on their clothes |
|
Check which companies have signed on by looking at the web
site |
How will the proposed government Industrial Relations reforms impact on
outworkers?
|
Effectively proposals will override state industrial laws
that protect outworkers rights. |
|
Outworkers will be deemed contracted labour with no
superannuation or benefits under any award. |
|
Mechanism to monitor outworker conditions will be
abolished. |
“Certain minimum conditions should be set first and that if a firm is not
efficient or productive enough it cannot expect its workers to subsidise its
poor performance. Struggling firms or industries can pay the minimum or go
out of business.”
Leo XIII Rerum Novarum
Web links
No Sweat Shop
http://www.nosweatshoplabel.com/
Fair Wear
http://www.ucaqld.com.au/community/fairwear/
Past Volumes
Vol 1, February 2005 3RD WORLD POVERTY –
The Other Tsunami
Vol 2, March 2005
STILL COOKING WITH GAS IN EAST TIMOR
Vol 3, April 2005
INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS – SOME HARD TRUTHS
Vol 4, June 2005
REFUGEES - I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU MADE ME
WELCOME
Vol 5, July 2005
WORKING IT OUT - NEW WORKPLACE PROPOSALS
Vol 6, August 2005
LANDMINES
“AN EXPLOSIVE TOPIC”
Vol 7, September 2005
POVERTY
- HOMING IN ON THE PROBLEM
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