Proposal A9: Require suppliers to sign union access agreements.

Require the signing of access agreements between factory management and local unions at supply factories

In order to counter the pervasive anti-union climate in this industry, brands should ensure that workers have access to opportunities to learn about and, should they choose to do so, be represented by trade unions. Brand buyers can help create a positive climate for trade unions by requiring their suppliers to sign union access agreements between factory management and local unions in the sector.

Responses

adidas

Adidas expects its suppliers to be neutral in respect to union organizing and says it “would take enforcement action if a local trade union provides us with evidence that a right of access has been denied.” However, it will not require that suppliers sign access agreements.

Full response

"At a minimum, we expect our suppliers to recognize and respect FOA rights, to be neutral regarding organizing, and to forego campaigns against union formation. We would not mandate that suppliers sign access agreements, but we would take enforcement action if a local trade union provides us with evidence that a right of access has been denied."

Lotto

No response given.

Mizuno

Mizuno will not require the signing of access agreements at its supplier factories, arguing that it represents too small a percentage of orders to make that request.

Full response

"Majority of our suppliers have just small portion of total out put for Mizuno’s manufacturing. Considering such small percentage, it may not be appropriate to require the agreement to the suppliers. However as our suppliers know our Guideline Principles, according to its philosophy, there might be dialogue and constructive discussion to respect of labors’ rights."

New Balance

New Balance requires supplier factories to adhere to local law regarding union access. However, they will not require that suppliers sign access agreements.

Full response

"New Balance requires supplier factories to adhere to local law regarding union access to factory workers. We are willing to undertake additional efforts to assure respect for workers’ legal rights to organize within our supplier factories."

Nike

Nike says that it “expects its contract factories to respect a country's legal requirements regarding agreements between factory management and local unions,” but will not require the signing of access agreements.

Full response

"Nike expects its contract factories to respect a country's legal requirements regarding agreements between factory management and local unions."

Pentland

The company will not require the signing of access agreements, although it leaves open the possibility that this “could be possible as part of a sectoral programme in a country or region.”

Full response

"We would aim to protect right of access where these are impeded, particularly where protected by law. However we can not commit to requiring suppliers to enter into access agreements.

"This could be possible as part of a sectoral programme in a country or region."

Puma

Puma says that “Given that the trade union movement in major sourcing countries is immature according to international union standards, we are not inclined to enforce mandatory access to our suppliers to these kinds of unions…”

Full response

"We have been involved in various projects such as the JO-IN Initiative in Turkey and a pilot project of the German Roundtable on Codes of Conduct in Romania and Bulgaria, wherein freedom of association was addressed and local as well as international unions actively participated. Though these projects are broad and innovative, the results of the initiatives still need to be adjusted to the local specifications and cultural context of other sourcing countries in order to be effective. Our current work on the Human Resource Management System (HRMS) collaboration as mentioned above is at this stage.

"We are often reminded that we are not the appropriate party to provide worker education on freedom of association and collective bargaining, and in accordance with the recommendations of the ILO, our suppliers are not tasked with this in the interest of impartiality and fairness. Given that the trade union movement in major sourcing countries is immature according to international union standards, we are not inclined to enforce mandatory access to our suppliers to these kinds of unions for worker education purposes. However, we continue to support training from credible NGOs and international industrial relations organizations in Romania, China and in a number of other countries."

Response Key

The brand claims to implementing all components of this proposal or has agreed to implement them within Play Fair's proposed timeframe.

The brand is currently implementing or has agreed to implement some of the essential components of the proposal but has refused to implement, has overlooked, or has raised issues with one or more important components; or, the brand agrees to implement the proposal but not within Play Fair’s proposed timeframe.

The brand has refused to implement the essential components of the proposal.

The brand has misunderstood or failed to comment on the proposal; or the brand is considering the proposal, but has yet to make a decision.