In Solidarity with the former textile workers at Dragon Sweater and against excessive consumerism!
This call was initiated by the Free Workers’ Union (FAU) Hamburg, Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) Hamburg, in Progress Braunschweig as well as the Working Group Asia of the International Confederation of Labor (ICL).
It is online here and also available in German here.
November 27th marks the so called Black Friday. Crowds will flock into the shops to stock up on stuff such as clothes. Clothes that were also made in the Dragon Sweater factory in Dhaka (Bangladesh).
Already in March textile workers of Imperial Sweater and Dragon Sweater were fired from one day to the next. However, if that wouldn’t be enough: they never received any severance pay – which is legally binding. Also missing wages due to overtime and bonus payments are owed by the factory owner until today. For months the affected workers have been rallying on the streets to fight for their rights. An agreement, which was signed by the factory owner and the textile workers, was breached and the factory owner didn’t pay a cent. Those two factories belonging to the Dragon Group have been supplying Walmart, Lidl and New Yorker among others. Despite worldwide protests the companies involved didn’t take up any responsibility. We expect them to publicly announce not to place any orders at Dragon Group factories as long as the workers are not paid what is owed to them.
Despite several requests from the Free Workers’ Union (FAU), Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and the International Confederation of Labor (ICL) as well as from the media New Yorker refuses to issue such a statement until now.
Therefore: Let’s make use of Black Friday to interrupt excessive consumerism and keep supporting the struggle of the textile workers.
With decentralized actions we demand from brands one more time to condemn such methods by factory owners and act accordingly – not just regarding the Dragon Group. Not only there thousands of workers were suddenly fired – but also in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, India and Cambodia union busting is part of the daily agenda. To support the respective labor struggles on the ground, we must stand together in solidarity and emphasize that as consumers and as workers we don’t accept exploitation in the factories or in retailing.
Get together in your area and organize an action at the next New Yorker, Lidl or Walmart store on November 27th, 2020!
To announce your planned activities and submit your reports, drop a line at asia@icl-cit.org!
All information will be shared with the Garment Workers’ Trade Union Center (GWTUC) on the ground in Dhaka.
PS: On this occasion we want to point out our fundraising efforts with which the textile workers will be supported on a very pratical level! #SolidarityIsOurWeapon #UnitedAgainstTheDragon
