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A court has issued an order silencing five Indian labour organizations
that have protested about work conditions imposed by a company
producing garments for large European and US labels.
The move follows a temporary restraining order granted in July to the owner of the Fibres and Fabrics International (FFI) and Jeans Knit (JKPL) factories. Local trade unions had made allegations about workplace and health and safety standards at the companies.
FFI, whose garments go to international brand name companies, including Ann Taylor, Armani, Gap, G-Star, Guess, Mexx and RaRe, is now under criticism for obtaining the gagging order.
Esther de Haan, co-ordinator of the international secretariat of the Clean Clothes Campaign, the international garment workers’ rights group, which has backed the protests, said: ‘Instead of engaging in a constructive dialogue with the local organizations to resolve the outstanding problems, FFI management went to court to silence them.’
Ashim Roy, president of the Garment and Textile Workers’ Union (GATWU) and general secretary of the New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI), said: ‘The grounds for constraining our freedom of expression are not proper and reasonable, and not consistent with the constitution and its interpretations given by the supreme court of this country with respect to the freedom of expression.’
He said the unions would observe the order but would appeal against it in the high court.
The order was granted by the court of the Bangalore city civil judge against Civil Initiatives for Development and Peace, the Clean Clothes Campaign Indian Task Force, the Women Garment Workers’ Front, the GATWU and the NTUI. The unions are backed by the Clean Clothes Campaign and the India Committee of The Netherlands, a non-governmental organization working for deprived groups in Indian society.
FFI has also threatened legal action against the two supporting organizations. The Clean Clothes Campaign is in talks with clients of the two factories about putting pressure on them through their supply chain.
The move follows a temporary restraining order granted in July to the owner of the Fibres and Fabrics International (FFI) and Jeans Knit (JKPL) factories. Local trade unions had made allegations about workplace and health and safety standards at the companies.
FFI, whose garments go to international brand name companies, including Ann Taylor, Armani, Gap, G-Star, Guess, Mexx and RaRe, is now under criticism for obtaining the gagging order.
Esther de Haan, co-ordinator of the international secretariat of the Clean Clothes Campaign, the international garment workers’ rights group, which has backed the protests, said: ‘Instead of engaging in a constructive dialogue with the local organizations to resolve the outstanding problems, FFI management went to court to silence them.’
Ashim Roy, president of the Garment and Textile Workers’ Union (GATWU) and general secretary of the New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI), said: ‘The grounds for constraining our freedom of expression are not proper and reasonable, and not consistent with the constitution and its interpretations given by the supreme court of this country with respect to the freedom of expression.’
He said the unions would observe the order but would appeal against it in the high court.
The order was granted by the court of the Bangalore city civil judge against Civil Initiatives for Development and Peace, the Clean Clothes Campaign Indian Task Force, the Women Garment Workers’ Front, the GATWU and the NTUI. The unions are backed by the Clean Clothes Campaign and the India Committee of The Netherlands, a non-governmental organization working for deprived groups in Indian society.
FFI has also threatened legal action against the two supporting organizations. The Clean Clothes Campaign is in talks with clients of the two factories about putting pressure on them through their supply chain.
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