Shoppers passing by the GAP store on the Cambridge market square this Saturday were the audience of a street theatre piece demonstrating unjust labour practices by GAP clothing line contractors.
Sweaty GAP
GAP shop in Cambridge
street theatre
An activist wearing a suit and a tall GAP hat, smoking a cigar, was 'whipping' two sweatshop workers and shouting at them to continue working. Several activists were handing out leaflets and talking to the general public. One activist went into the GAP shop to ask the manager about child labour practices of the clothing chain, but the manager declined to discuss this issue.
The activists are calling for GAP to ensure that workers have decent wages, safe working conditions and independent trade unions.
The activists are calling for GAP to ensure that workers have decent wages, safe working conditions and independent trade unions.
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Well done
10.11.2003 03:26
Nearly every article of clothing on sale in the UK though has been made by someone who is paid a pittance. Most of the price you pay goes to the retailers.Unlike other consumer goods clothing can only be made by actual people usually women.Sewing is one activity that they have not been able to get done by machines.Thousands and thousands of UK workers have lost jobs because of the shift in production abroad but no one cares about them,those who still make clothes in the UK are also paid a pittance.
Designers like Katherine Hamlett were amongst the first to take advantage of the cheap workers in far off places.Now she is claiming to care about global issues.She admitted in an interview on Hard Talk recently that her own company is not ethical.
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Sil