Collective bargaining agreements must be enforceable

Collective bargaining agreements must be enforceable, and companies must be held to account for human and workers’ rights violations, including ecological damage caused by their operations. Workers’ organizations and their communities must be able to exercise their right to protest and dissent about all workers’ rights and human rights violations, in response to imminent danger and to call on their governments for change. Yet, too often fashion companies have benefited from state repression of environmental and human rights activists to further exploit workers, communities and the environment. Brands exert political and economic pressure internationally and domestically through the promise of investment and the threat of relocation. Experience shows that they generally use their power to influence governments to minimise labour and environmental regulations. Power must be shifted from brands to trade unions, workers’ organisations and citizens.