According to the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union (TCFU) there are over 300,000 outworkers, most of them migrant women, in Australia. Their pay is lousy. For a hard 70 hour week, they might manage to earn $120. Meanwhile, the fruits of their labours are sold in the clothing shops at exorbitant mark ups. The union has been battling the employers, organised in the Australian Retailers' Association (ARA) for a number of years to get outworkers the same pay as their sisters in the factories. Now, in what is something of a breakthrough, a number of large retailers have agreed to sign the Homework Code of Practice with the union. We reprint below the list (as of 14 October) of companies that have signed the code, and some of those who have so far refused to do so, including big names such as Adidas and Nike.
Companies that have signed |
Some of the companies that have not signed |
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Best &Less; Big W; Coles Supermarkets; Country Road; Cue Design; David Jones; Fosseys; Hot Gossip; Jacqui E.; Jag. Just Jeans; K Mart; Katies; Ken Done; Australia Post; King Gee; L.A. Shirts; Lowes Manhattan; Maggie T; Myer-Grace; Najee; Neater fashions; Peter Weiss; review; Rockmans; Roger David; Saba; Sara Lee Intimates; Sport Fashion; Sportscraft; Sportsgirl; Sussan; Suzanne Grae; Target; The Clothing Co; Westco Jeans; Witchery; Woolworths |
Adidas; Alexanders; Anthea Crawford; Atelier; Billie Carter; Black Lagoon; Blazer; Blooms Design; Blue Gum; Blue Surf; Box Canyon; Brian Rochford; Brown Sugar; Carla Zampatti; Chelsea Design; Christopher; Daimaru; Dangerfield; Davenport; Depict Fash; Dialogue; Diamond Cut; Diesel; Eastside Clothing Co; Elle Clothing; Ellis Mathews; Esprit; Events; Fletcher Jones; General Pants Co; George Cross; Gowing Bros; Gumboots; Harry Who; Harts; Hiltons Fashion Stores; Hoppers; Hot Tuna; House of David; House of Stitches; Inroads Clothing; Jean Connection; Jeans West; Jig Saw; Jockey; Jump; Kamikaze; Kea; Kerry McGee; Kids Club; Kids Coordinates; Kids World; Klue Jeans; Laura Ashley; Little Miss; Liz Davenport; Maestro; Man to Man; Marianna Hardwick; Mark Richards; Melissa; Mensland; Mini Minor; Motto; My Size; Neat N' Trim; Nelson Leong; New Kid in Town; Nif Naf; Nike; Ojay; Opal Male; Oshkosh B'Gosh; Park Lane Fashions; Perri Cutten; Plot Clothiers; Portmans; Postie Fashions; PTO; Quiksilver; Red Robin; Rider; Rip Curl; RM Williams; S&R Fashions; Satch; Sea Folly; Simona; Solo; Stussy; Supre; Swiss Model; Syndicate; Table Eight; Taking Shape; Thomas Cook; Trackmaster; Trent Nathan; White Heather; Whiz Kids; Yakka |