Workers strike in Dubai
7 Days, (Dubai’s equivalent of the UK’s free morning paper the Metro), reported yesterday that workers employed by Gunal Construction Trading and Industry in Dubai refused to work over the weekend because of the substandard conditions in which they are living. The article reports that raw sewage was overflowing from septic tanks in workers’ accommodation [...]
Slumdogs amongst Dubai’s millionaires
After last year’s Primark on the Rack, BBC Panorama has been investigating labour standards again. This time the BBC exposé focuses on the conditions of migrant workers building luxury estates in Dubai. Dubai is a by-word for 1st world seven-star living, with developments endorsed by footballer Michael Owen, cricketer Andrew Flintoff and celebrity chef Jamie [...]
Primark post-mortem?
In response to last night’s BBC Panorama exposing child labour in Primark’s supply chain, the Guardian asks “Is this the end for Primark?” We think reports of Primark’s imminent demise are greatly exaggerated. There certainly didn’t seem to be any lull in business when Impactt went to see the protest organized by War on Want [...]
Panorama, Primark and Labour Standards
Following the news stories last week and speculation in the Ethical Trading community, the BBC is set to show its investigation into the ethical standards of Primark’s supply chain this Monday at 9pm. A potentially controversial trailer is available on YouTube: You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video The footage [...]
Panorama, Primark, Child Labour and the Alexa Chung factor
Primark has again attracted the attention of the ethical trading community today after the company’s announcement that it is severing ties with 3 suppliers because of child labour found in their supply chains. Information on the labour standards of some suppliers, gained during the filming of the BBC’s Panorama series, was passed on to the company, [...]