The Labour Behind the Label (LBL) initiative is leading efforts to ensure fashion companies Next and Superdry fulfill their obligation of US $ 500,000 dollars owed to Cambodian garment workers affected by the Wai Full Textiles factory closure during Covid-19.
LBL claims that Wai Full Textiles supplied Next, Superdry, and Asos. Workers received partial yearly leave compensation when the factory stopped operating.
Advocates emphasise that these brands are the former employees’ final option because the factory owners are insolvent and its Hong Kong parent company has been wound up.
The factory was officially closed in May 2021, giving employees meagre leave pay while the debt of US $ 500,000 was still outstanding.
In response, the female-led Cambodian union CATU organised workers at factories to demand fairness and justice. Workers at Wai Full Garments had few choices after the bankruptcy and asset liquidation of the company, which was followed by the breakup of the Hong Kong parent company, so they turned to brands that were implicated for assistance.
On behalf of the workers, LBL contacted Superdry, Next, and Asos in the autumn of 2021. The following year, the brands suggested a confidential settlement sum and talked about distribution strategies. According to LBL, Next and Superdry have so far declined to accept responsibility for reimbursement.
A new campaign is now in motion to persuade Next and Superdry to change their minds and pay the outstanding balance.
