Garment industry urged to attain higher standards

Garment industry urged to attain higher standards
Vietnam Economic Times, Vietnam

President Nguyen Minh Triet urged representatives of the nation’s garment industry to reach international standards by upgrading technology, improving management methods and focusing on human resources development.

At the Viet Nam Textile and Apparel Association (Vitas) congress for 2014-10 held in Ha Noi on Saturday, Triet also praised the garment industry for its high-flying growth in export revenue and volume Read more about Garment industry urged to attain higher standards

ILO decries low wages in RMG sector

ILO decries low wages in RMG sector
Says legal minimum salary not increased in 10 years
Md Hasan/The Daily Star, Bangladesh

Minimum monthly wages in garment sector of Bangladesh has made it impossible for workers to lead a decent life, says a recent survey of International Labour Organization (ILO).
The survey observes most of the trade unions in the garment sector operate from outside the factories and thus suffer a lack of active participation of the workers.

Bangladesh is a country with one of the lowest wage rates in the world, the survey on “RMG Industry, Post-MFA Regime and Decent Work, The Bangladesh Perspective” says.

It says while the low wage rate reflects large supplies of workers relative to demand, what is striking is that the legal minimum wage in this sector has not increased during the last 10 years or so. Read more about ILO decries low wages in RMG sector

Survey: HK businesses aggressive in exporting to the Mainland

Survey: HK businesses aggressive in exporting to the Mainland
People’s Daily Online, China

Hong Kong’s mid-sized businesses are more aggressive in exporting goods to the Mainland and India in comparison with their counterparts in 29 countries and regions in the world, a survey shows.

The survey released Sunday shows that 41 percent of Hong Kong’s mid-sized businesses currently export or have further plans to export goods to the Mainland.

Hong Kong evidently stands out as the top exporter in comparison with East Asia.

Meanwhile, 9 percent of Hong Kong’s mid-sized businesses have future plans to export goods to India. Read more about Survey: HK businesses aggressive in exporting to the Mainland

Garment owners warned: Give minimum wage or get out of business

Garment owners warned: Give minimum wage or get out of business
The New Nation, Bangladesh

The government would go tough with garment-factory owners to make them pay the recommended minimum wages to their workers if they want to run their business, the Finance and Commerce Adviser warned Sunday.“We won’t allow any excuse in implantation of the minimum wage; if they fail, they have to go out of business,” Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam told reporters to make clear government stance, as there have been complaints about deprivation from ill-paid workers for long. He said this after his ‘Social Compliance Forum for RMG’ meeting in the Commerce Ministry conference room. Read more about Garment owners warned: Give minimum wage or get out of business

Fitial orders garment hiring stopped

Fitial orders garment hiring stopped
Saipan Tribune, Micronesia
By Agnes E. Donato
Reporter
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial has ordered the Department of Labor to stop garment factories from hiring any new workers.

Forecasting the “fast-tracked demise” of the garment industry to follow the new federal wage hike law, the governor said that no additional garment workers should be allowed into the CNMI until those displaced are hired or sent home.

“The proposal for stopping the entry of new garment workers has been discussed for some time. I think it is time for us to act to make sure that no new workers come into the Commonwealth until the pool of non-resident workers created by the closures (and imminent closure) of garment factories are absorbed or repatriated,” the governor said in a memorandum on Friday.

He ordered the Labor secretary to promulgate emergency regulations to implement the new policy. Emergency regulations take effect immediately and are not subject to the 30-day public comment period required for permanent regulations. Read more about Fitial orders garment hiring stopped

Foreign garment owners to ask compensation from Bangladesh gov't

Foreign garment owners to ask compensation from Bangladesh gov’t
People’s Daily Online, China

Foreign garment factory owners will demand compensation for the destruction of their units during the last three days in the highly protected industrial park at Savar, 25 km west of Dhaka, an owner of a foreign garment unit said on Thursday.

The owners told private television channel Ntv that “Bangladesh government should take the responsibility of damaging our factories and should pay compensation.”

Bangladesh’s garment, the No. 1 export earner, saw the worst unrest since Saturday during which 250 garment units were damaged by workers Read more about Foreign garment owners to ask compensation from Bangladesh gov't

Flea market reveals journey of 'illegal' garment

Flea market reveals journey of ‘illegal’ garment
Anissa S. Febrina, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

How does a soft gray flannel skirt, worn in the springtime by a Japanese woman who has long since grown old, find its way into the closet of a Jakarta teenager?

As vintage and retro become some of the most popular words in the language of the city’s beautiful people, the law of supply and demand explains it all.

On a street in front of Senen market in Central Jakarta, just before the clock strikes seven in the morning, thousands of secondhand garments are unpacked. Read more about Flea market reveals journey of 'illegal' garment