Workers have the ability to be advocates and effective change agents within their factories. We work with unions and directly with workers to help realize their rights on the factory floor and find ways to boost their skills so that they can engage in productive discussions and negotiate with employers.
We create opportunities that draw out workers potential, such as participation in Bipartite Worker- Management Committees, which give workers a greater say in their factory conditions. We also work with trade unions and ILO partners to ensure existing unions participate on those committees and that workers have the capacity to represent their fellow workers in advancing their rights and interests, as partners in dialogue with employers.
We strive to ensure women’s voices are heard
More than 80% of the world’s 60 million garment factory workers are female. We strive to ensure women’s voices are heard, and their needs are taken into account. Impact assessment research now shows that the bipartite worker-management committees are most successful when women are equally represented: their voices lead to better working environments and reduce the prevalence of sexual harassment and verbal abuse in factories.