Sri Lankan glove manufacturer accused of workers’ rights violations
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) in
The complaint lodged by the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation (ITGLWF) alleges a campaign of intimidation and harassment conducted by Workwear Lanka, a glove-producing company located in the Biyagama Free Trade Zone.
After workers at the plant decided at the end of December to set up a branch union of the Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union, management cross-examined every single worker about their union affiliation and asked them to resign from union membership. Management later denied the existence of a union at the plant, and insisted that if the union wanted to claim membership in the factory it would have to submit a membership list with the signatures of members.
Three union leaders have been dismissed and a further five have been denied work. Others have been demoted. About 100 workers suspected of being union members have been dismissed, on the grounds that they were casual workers whose services were no longer required. In the meantime, the company is recruiting new workers.
Says ITGLWF President Peter Booth: "The anti-union action of the company is a completely unacceptable breach of international labour law, and is one which puts
Concludes Mr. Booth "If the government can't pull companies into line, that would suggest that
"The government must now move quickly to ensure that the company reinstates all union supporters in the positions they formerly occupied, and that it respects the right of workers to organise without interference from management".
