Over 40 million people in the world - mostly young women - work in free trade zones where firms enjoy fiscal and ’social’ advantages. As a study by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) has pointed out, these privileges often enable employers to systematically disregard workers’ rights, especially the freedom of association(1). This is the case in Sri Lanka where, as Anton Marcus, general secretary of the FTZ & GSE Union(2) put it, ’free zone means zone free of trade unions’. Faced with repression, Sri Lankan workers are appealing to importers’ sense of responsibility: multinationals but also government departments. In the GP Garments case, nearly 500 workers were unexpectedly sacked for standing up for their rights at a factory that produces uniforms for the French army.

When in January 2005 employees at the GP Garments factory, situated in the Biyagama free trade zone, were informed of an imminent reorganization to improve productivity, the Progress Union voiced no opposition. It did nevertheless propose dialogue on the implications of these changes, especially in terms of working conditions. The management’s only answer was to intimidate unionists and to threaten them with closure of the factory by the owner (a Belgian national), if they opposed.

In late March 2005 anti-union actions were stepped up. The chairman of the Progress Union received a death threat by phone. The next day the police visited the factory and questioned a unionist, officially on the grounds of his alleged connection with delinquents. His photo was taken and he was threatened with arrest and even life in jail.

On 24 March a strike was held in protest against this intimidation campaign. The next day the GP Garments management closed the factory and barred access by the workers, who consequently filed a complaint with the labour ministry and demonstrated to demand reopening of the firm.

From one promise to the next

On 1 April, during a meeting in the presence of the General Commissioner for Labour in Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital, the GPG management announced that the workers’ March wages had been sent to their homes, rather than being paid at the factory as usual. Since most of the workers live in the country, some travelled long distances to fetch their wages, only to find that they had either not been paid or that they had received a cheque that could not be cashed.

On 4 April 2005 management reopened te factory and allowed certain groups of employees to resume their work but suspended 13 trade union representatives. The workers continued their mobilization and asked the authorities to intervene. On 6 April, during a new meeting at the office of the General Commissioner for Labour, the company management undertook to pay bonuses and reinstate all the workers. Once again, it failed to keep its promises. The unionists who went to work were refused entry and no payment was made.

On 20 April 2005 the exasperated workers occupied the factory. The firm retaliated immediately by closing the factory once again and sacking close to 500 individuals. Since then it has been manoeuvring to ensure that the union’s legal proceedings make no headway. It has even counter-attacked by accusing several unionists of ’taking hostages’ (an offence that is severely punished in Sri Lanka), since company managers were held for several hours during the occupation of the factory.

To fulfil its contracts, GP Garments transferred its production to another factory within the same group. More seriously, in December 2005 it obtained authorization to temporarily replace ’dissident’ workers so that production could carry on.

Unsatisfactory reply by the Ministry

GP Garments mainly produces uniforms for the French army. The Defence Ministry is therefore in a position to obtain a change in the company’s attitude. Questioned by the FITTHC(3), the CFDT-Hacuitex(4) and by the CFDT-FEAE(5) which has taken an active interest in this issue, it has given only unsatisfactory answers until now. In its last and most detailed letter, the Ministry notes that: ’the regulations stipulate that the persons responsible for procurement contracts do not have the authority to intervene in social conflicts’, but that the Ministry’s services have nevertheless undertaken ’seven missions since 2002 to control working conditions at GP Garments’, which revealed ’no breach of law or labour regulations’ and enabled its inspectors to evidence ’the perfect state of the production site’.

However, the Ministry makes no reference to the failure to respect freedom of association and collective bargaining, one of the main rights enshrined in the international conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) - and for which Sri Lankan workers legitimately demand recognition.

(1) "L’envers des marques" Conditions de travail et droits des travailleurs dans les zones franches d’exportation (http://www.icftu.org/displaydocument.asp?Index=991220895&Language=FR)
(2) Free Trade Zone and General Services Employees Union
(3) International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation
(4) Fédération Habillement, Cuir, Textile
(5) Fédération des établissement et arsenaux de l’État

FURTHER INFORMATION

Anton Marcus in France

Invited to participate in the international seminar on Urgent Calls that we organized on 9 and 10 November 2005, Anton Marcus, representative of the FTZ & GSEU, spent ten days in France to participate in other militant activities.

During the international solidarity week he visited several towns to contribute to the events organized by local associations (Peuples Solidaires groups, RITIMO centres, Artisans du Monde shops).

During a meeting with the Collectif de l’Ethique sur l’Etiquette and a meeting with the CFDT-FEAE(5), he appealed for our support, to petition the Defence Ministry in favour of the GP Garments workers.

Anton Marcus also went to Brussels for a working session with the FITTHC(3), to which his union is affiliated, and participated in an evening organized at the National Assembly by the Collectif de l’Ethique sur l’Etiquette and the Forum Citoyen pour la Responsabilité Sociale des Entreprises.

Call in liaison with:

Collectif de l’éthique sur l’étiquette www.ethique-sur-etiquette.org

WHAT TO DO ?

By letter: copy the standard letter below or use your own wording; you can download it directly by clicking on the attachment at the bottom of this page.

Send your letter to the address indicated below, and remember to add your own name, address and signature.

By e-mail: courrier-ministre@sdbc.defense.gouv.fr

Copy to: webmaster@achats.defense.gouv.fr

Deadline: as soon as you receive this call and not later than 31 March 2006.

PROTEST LETTER:

Date :

Mme Michèle ALLIOT-MARIE
Ministre de la Défense
14, rue Saint-Dominique
00452 ARMEES

Madame la Ministre,

J’ai été informé-e par Réseau-Solidarité (10 quai de Richemont - 35000 Rennes) du non-respect de la liberté syndicale dans l’usine de GP Garments, qui produit des uniformes pour l’armée française au Sri Lanka.

Les menaces et sanctions arbitraires à l’encontre des syndicalistes (depuis février 2005), puis le licenciement de près de 500 ouvriers suite à une grève (fin avril 2005) constituent un manquement aux conventions internationales de l’Organisation Internationale du Travail sur la liberté d’association et de négociation collective (conventions n° 87 et n° 98).

Préoccupé-e par cette situation, je vous demande d’intervenir auprès de la direction de GP Garments pour qu’elle :
- réintègre sans délai les ouvriers licenciés en avril 2005 ;
- respecte pleinement le droit d’association et de négociation collective.

J’insiste sur le fait qu’il ne s’agit pas de rompre vos relations avec ce sous-traitant, mais bien d’user de votre capacité d’influence pour qu’il se mette en conformité avec les textes internationaux.

Dans l’attente de votre réponse, je vous prie d’agréer, Madame la Ministre, l’expression de ma haute considération.

TRANSLATION:

Ms Michèle Alliot-Marie
Minister of Defence
14 rue Saint Dominique
00452 ARMEES

Dear Minister Alliot-Marie

I have been informed by Réseau-Solidarité (10 quai de Richemont, 35000 Rennes) that the factory GP Garments, which produces uniforms for the French army in Sri Lanka, has failed to respect its workers’ trade union rights.

Threats and arbitrary sanctions against trade unionists (since February 2005), then the dismissal of nearly 500 workers following a strike (end-April 2005), are in contravention of International Labour Organization conventions on freedom of association and collective bargaining (Conventions n° 87 and 98).

Concerned about this situation, I wish to request your intervention to ensure that the GP Garments’ management: immediately reinstates the workers dismissed in April 2005 fully respects the right to free association and collective bargaining.

I wish to emphasize that my aim is not for you to withdraw your business from this sub-contractor, but rather to use your influence to compel it to comply with international regulations.

Looking forward to your response

Yours faithfully