This week, a group of garment brands – including ten Fair Wear members – signed and sent a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi which expresses grave concern over newly-proposed changes to state labour laws that pose significant threats to essential labour rights.
Some Indian states have recently adopted legislative proposals to significantly relax or suspend labour protections, arguing that such modifications would help Indian employers cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and boost investment in manufacturing industries. The proposed amendments, however, would have immediate and grave consequences for workers in those states.
Last month, Fair Wear and five other influential civil society organisations sent a letter calling on the Indian government to address these legislative changes. Now, some members of those organisations have sent a follow up message to the Indian government reiterating the same concerns. In the letter, the group of 49 brands – which collectively place over $700 million worth of orders from India – highlights the detrimental impact the law amendments would have on the safety, security and well-being of workers India, as well as the potential consequences they could have on the Indian business landscape.
Read the letter in full here.