Several garment workers at Hawassa, biggest industrial park in Ethiopia, recently went on strike demanding the employers to improve on health and safety of workers as well as on increasing wages.
The workers also urged, in unison, the employers to act on sexual harassment cases.
Industrial Federation of Textile, Leather and Garment Workers Union (IFTLGWTU), IndustriALL affiliate in Ethiopia, stated that the strike was a result of trade unions being denied permission to assemble and organise in the park.
Substantiating on the same, Teklu Shewarega, IFTLGWTU’s organising and industrial relations department head, said that it was not surprising to see the workers go on strike as in the absence of unions, concerns like low salary and poor working environment were rampant.
He also added that the Government has so far not given any permission to form unions, but IFTLGWTU will continue persuading its international partners as well as the global brands to pressurise the Government to help form trade unions.
The garment and textile workers have also been demanding housing and transportation benefits. Paule France Ndessomin, Regional Secretary, IndustriALL, strongly condemned the sexual harassment of women working at Hawassa park and called for a safe working environment for women.
