The recent influx of transnational corporations into Asian countries, where they have set up manufacturing and other enterprises, has created employment for millions, but has also subjected employees to appalling labour conditions. Corporations are attracted to Asia because of the vast pool of cheap labour, but while their presence sometimes brings benefits, workers are suffering.
In many factories, people’s health is put in jeopardy on a daily basis, their wages are low, working days are long, living conditions cramped and women are particularly vulnerable to violence and sexual harassment. There is little job security, and no medical services or maternity leave for female workers. Many of the workers depend on their jobs to support their families, and have no alternative livelihood.
The development of self-governing, democratic trade unions is vital to rectifying this situation. However, attempts to organise unions are often faced with threats and intimidation, not only from employers, but also from the authorities.
Many people are turning to the Transnational Information Exchange (TIE Asia), one of War on Want’s partners, for help. TIE Asia is an international network of employees in industrial and agricultural areas dominated by transnational corporations. Their aim is to help workers to promote and implement their rights to make tangible improvements to their livelihoods. TIE Asia has offices around the world that work together to provide people with information on fair trade and democratic trade unions. The organisation has co-ordinated several workshops and training sessions to instruct workers on what their rights are and how to lobby for them.
Through TIE Asia, workers learn new techniques and methods of lobbying from one another. Working as a coalition gives each individual group a much stronger voice, enabling them to be more effective in their struggle for better working conditions and improved livelihoods.
| TIE Asia's successes |
- TIE Asia now works with over 33 local and national labour organisations, reaching over 50,000 workers in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand and Indonesia
- In 2003, TIE managed to increase maternity benefits by an average 2000 Baht - approximately 248,340 female workers will immediately benefit from the new rate
- Workers demonstrated to demand improved conditions and as a result, the government increased the minimum wage and child benefits
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| The Facts |
- Workers receive wages at or below the World Bank's poverty line for 12 hour days and 6 day weeks
- 80% of the workforce are women aged under 29 because employers see young women as a cheap, flexible, and compliant workforce
- Workers suffer dangerous health and safety conditions, and sexual, physical and verbal abuse of women workers by employers and management is common
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 |  | Buy them a gift
Just £5 could help increase women workers' influence in Asian sweatshops. | |
 | | TIE Asia
Visit TIE Asia's external website to find out more. | |
