We have teamed up with Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union (TTCU) in India to produce our UNION-MADE T-shirts!
The TTCU led a groundbreaking campaign to eliminate gender-based violence and sexual harassment in the Natchi Apparel factory in Tamil Nadu, a division of Eastman Exports, on of India’s largest garment manufacturers. The campaign was launched following the horrific murder of Jeyasre Kathiravela, a young garment worker and union member – this was the Justice for Jeyasre campaign.
The TTCU, through it’s success with The Dindigul Agreement, has helped to develop a culture of mutual respect within the factory that is an example for others. This was not always the case, as is highlighted in the section overleaf, but through powerful union organising, the TTCU has won improved conditions relating to health and safety regulations, put an end to wage violations,
standardised break times and toilet breaks, pushed for improvement in the quality of the food in the canteen, and the provision of transport for workers to travel to and from work without a charge. All this is fought for and won by the workers themselves through their unionising activity and it shows the importance of having strong, independent trade unions in factories.
The TTCU represents 974 workers at Natchi Apparel and has recognition within the factory meaning they are able to engage freely in trade union activity in the factory and monitor conditions. Union organisers meet with factory management on a weekly basis to discuss any issues, highlight any grievances and make sure that they are dealt with sufficiently within a 30–day period.
We first met the TTCU when we did an episode of The No Sweat Podcast with Andrew O’Neill entirely about their campaign and the agreement they secured.
It was during a conversation with the TTCU and their NGO partner, the Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA), when we explained to them the objective of the No Sweat T-shirt project and it’s goal of building union solidarity, that they invited No Sweat to source from Natchi Apparel because of the very changes in the factory they had created. As TTCU’s General Secretary, Jeeva Murugesan said:
“We are very happy to collaborate with No Sweat. Their program of sourcing T-shirts from factories with unionised workers promotes decent work in garment factories, which are otherwise known for exploitative conditions. Such purchasing practices are important, as it sends out a strong message to local suppliers that working with trade unions is good for their business. If fashion brands must truly enable Freedom of Association, they must learn from the purchasing model of No Sweat.”
