Garment workers in Mauritius made another big step in bettering the clothing factory working conditions within the country. Top brands within the fashion industry have agreed to compensate the migrant workers following an investigation that found numerous worker’s rights violations at factories across the country.
The investigation was led by the US-based workers’ rights non-profit organization Transparentem. According to The Guardian, the company targeted five separate Mauritius factories and interviewed 83 workers between 2022 and 2023. Those factories included Denim de l’Ile, Firemount Group, REAL Garments, and, Aquarelle Clothing.
Transparentem’s report claimed that workers were paying illegal job recruitment fees, and were subjected to poor treatment, unsanitary living conditions, poor drinking water, as well as deception and intimidation.
Ben Skinner, president of Transparentem, provided a statement urging the brands to reform, adding that only three brands actively took the investigation results seriously.
“Migrant workers showed great courage in bearing witness through Transparentem,” wrote Skinner. “To date, only three brands have shown by their actions that they really listened to them. The cost of reform is high. But the cost of failure to reform is higher.”
The five factory supply brands include Boden, Asos, and the Foschini Group, which owns Whistles and Hobbs.
Both Barbour and PVH agreed to reimburse the affected workers up to £400,000 pounds to garment workers, particular to those working at the real garment factory.
The factory in question stated that it was also working to remedy the situation for its workers, and confirmed the repayment stated by the fashion brands involved.
“We confirm that all the remediations including repayment of local transportation fees have been completed,” it said.
Other brands like The Foschini Group, echoed similar sentiments.
“We have investigated this in full and are comfortable that we have taken appropriate action,” said the group’s spokesperson.
