Download (PDF, 2.62MB)

Better Work Jordan
Newsletter
No. 13, March - May 2014
Jordan
In this issue:
Buyers stress importance
of ethical growth for Jordan’s garment industry
(page 1)
Promoting worker health
in Jordan’s largest industrial zone (page 2)
International buyers stress
importance of ethical growth for
Jordan’s garment industry
Representatives of nine international clothing brands discussed the
future of Jordan’s garment industry at Better Work Jordan’s (BWJ)
Sixth Annual International Buyers’ Forum
As Jordan’s garment industry continues a strong trend of recordbreaking export growth, representatives of nine international clothing
brands visited the country to attend BWJ’s Sixth Annual International
Buyers’ Forum.
The forum provided an opportunity for international brands, garment
factories and government officials to reflect on the progress made in
improving working conditions as well as the challenges ahead for the
Jordanian garment industry.
The forum, held in April, was a two day event bringing together brands
including Wal-Mart, Gap, Sears, Jones Apparel, Hanesbrand, L.L. Bean,
Li & Fung, Under Armour and Nike. The first day of the forum was a
closed session for buyers’ representatives, giving them an opportunity
to highlight their priority issues. During this session, buyers established
consensus on how to approach several key issues (continued on page 2)
One year on: Jordan’s collective bargaining agreement for the garment
industry (page 4)
Global training summit
drives innovation at Better Work (page 5)
Spreading the message
on workplace cooperation (page 6)
Financial literacy: worker
training that really pays
(page 6)
Upcoming public training (page 8)
1
“...the industry should
continue to improve
working conditions in
order to sustain strong
growth.”
International buyers stress importance of ethical growth
for Jordan’s garment industry
(continued from page 1) including wage discrimination, regulating conditions in subcontracting factories,
dormitory standards and recruitment of foreign workers.
During the second day of the forum, all key stakeholders reached initial agreement on an action plan to
address key issues related to the working conditions in the industry.
According to the Programme Manager of BWJ, Phillip Fishman “The Jordanian garment industry is emerging as
a supplier of high-quality garments, particularly in the field of athletic wear. Buyers of high-quality garments
expect higher labour standards from their suppliers, so the industry should continue to improve working
conditions in order to sustain strong growth.”
In 2013, Jordan’s garment exports reached a record high of US$ 1.3 billion, marking the second consecutive
year in which the country achieved record garment export figures. During the first quarter of 2014, garment
exports showed a 14 per cent increase over the same period in 2013.
Promoting worker health in Jordan’s largest industrial
zone
A new fitness center in the Al-Hassan Industrial Zone is helping garment workers live healthier lives
For garment workers around the world, a typical workday involves many hours spent sitting or standing at
their workstations, performing tasks that require high-speed, repetitive movements. “In Jordan, migrant
garment workers spend up to twelve hours a day at their workstation, making the same movements over
and over” said Mervat Al-Jamhawi, of the General Trade Union of Workers in Textile, Garment and Clothing.
“This can have a serious impact on their health.”
A large body of scientific research shows garment workers can be at risk of developing serious work related
injuries – including shoulder, neck and back disorders – if the right precautions are not taken. According to
the International Labour Organization, muscoskeletal disorders such as these are among the world’s most
common occupational diseases.
At the Al-Hassan Industrial Zone in the north of Jordan, garment workers expressed an interest in using a
newly established Workers’ Centre in the zone as a space to exercise. In the absence of recreational spaces
and activities for garment workers in the industrial zone, the Workers’ Centre was (continued on page 3)
2
Promoting worker health in Jordan’s largest industrial
zone
(continued from page 2) recently established as a multi-purpose recreational and training space by several
industry stakeholders including the Better Work Jordan (BWJ) programme.
“The fitness area in the Workers’ Center was initially
intended to be a room for screening movies” says
Phil Fishman, Programme Manager of BWJ. “But
when the center opened, it quickly became clear
that what workers wanted is a place where they
could exercise.
Yoga and dance classes for workers are being held at
the gym, and workers also have access to a weight
lifting room.
Just a few weeks after opening, dozens of garment
workers are already using the center. Emily Hylton,
who is responsible for coordinating the center’s
activities, said that workers are very enthusiastic
about these services. “Many of the workers that
use the fitness center come every day after work”
she said.
For Indika, a 29-year-old Sri Lankan worker, exercising daily at the center’s fitness helps him shake off the
stress of his work. “I hardly move at all during the day, and when I do it’s just to visit the canteen or bathroom.
But since the center opened, this has all changed. I used to feel tired all the time but now I feel so much
better especially during the long working hours.”
Lifting weights beside him was Poraush, a 27-year old security guard from India. He said he is trying to get in
shape for his wedding day in November back in his home country. “Before the gym in the center opened, I
used to exercise in my dormitory, which was too crowded and lacked the proper equipment.”
The limited resources of the center make it challenging to meet the high level of demand for exercise classes
and equipment from the thousands of garment workers in the industrial zone. “We want to expand the
fitness center, but exercise equipment is expensive” said Mervat Al-Jamhawi, who works actively with the
Workers’ Center. “We are working to find support for the fitness center so more workers can benefit from
these facilities.”
“Many of the workers
that use the fitness center
come every day after
work.”
3
One year on: Jordan’s landmark collective
bargaining agreement for the garment industry
Working to ensure implementation of Jordan’s collective bargaining for the garment industry
Jordan’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for the garment industry is one of the most comprehensive
in this sector globally, containing provisions on dormitory standards, annual seniority bonuses, dispute
settlement, trade union recognition and employer rights. It came as a response to a series of longstanding
disputes between workers and their employers over wages, working conditions and dormitory standards.
One year after the signing of this landmark agreement (CBA), the General Trade Union of Workers in
Textile, Garment and Clothing has made significant strides towards ensuring that the CBA is implemented,
yet much remains to be done.
Having established worker committees in
around half of Jordan’s garment factories,
union leaders are now hoping to expand
their networks at the factory level by building
stronger local cadres. During a workshop
hosted by Better Work Jordan (BWJ) in
May, union leaders discussed how to better
involve migrant workers in the trade union
and strengthen solidarity between garment
workers.
Mohammad Al-Hadidi, of the General Trade
Union of Workers in Textile, Garment and
Clothing, stresses the importance of educating
workers about the agreement. “The only way
to effectively monitor what is happening in
the factories is through communication with
workers” he said. “Workers need to know
what is in the agreement so they can report
violations to us.”
Union leaders attend BWJ workshop on implementation of the
collective bargaining agreement
The union has partnered with BWJ to raise worker awareness of the collective agreement by distributing
copies of the agreement to workers in Arabic as well as translations into the various languages spoken by
migrant workers. The union has also held a series of meetings with workers to explain the terms of the
collective agreement.
With the current CBA set to expire in 2015, employers and workers have also been preparing for the next
round of collective bargaining. According to the Programme Manager of BWJ, Phillip Fishman, “There
are several important issues in the sector that could be addressed through the next round of collective
bargaining, such as the provision of medical insurance.”
BWJ has also been involved in promoting effective implementation of the CBA by training government
labour inspectors on how they can play an active role. In May, BWJ organized a workshop that trained
seventeen labour inspectors how to adjudicate upon the CBA in the case of disagreements between the
employers’ association and the trade union.
Click to watch the video on Jordan’s collective bargaining agreement for the garment industry
4
Global training summit drives innovation at Better
Work
Better Work staff from around the world exchanged knowledge and developed new skills at a five
day training summit held in Bangkok, Thailand
Over twelve years after Better Factories
Cambodia was launched, the Better Work
programme has established itself as a
successful and scalable model for monitoring
and improving working conditions in the
garment industry and has grown its operations
to provide services in eight garment producing
countries.
As the programme continues to grow, Better
Work services are evolving to become more
effective and efficient, with Enterprise Advisors
and Training Officers being trained to take on
new roles.
In April, Better Work Jordan (BWJ) staff joined
Better Work colleagues from around the
world at a summit for Enterprise Advisors and
Training Officers held in Bangkok, Thailand.
Over 90 members of staff from seven country
programmes attended the five day summit,
which covered topics such as factory selfassessment, grievance mechanisms and
industrial relations.
“Moving forward, BWJ is going to focus more
on promoting knowledge sharing among
factories and training several factories on
a specific issue at the same time” said Tareq
Abu Qaoud, Technical Officer at Better Work.
“This will make the Better Work model less
labour intensive, and give the opportunity to
the factories to learn from each other in the
common challenges they are facing.”
He added, “Many factories that have been in the
Better Work programme for a number of years have
demonstrated significant improvement, but a minority
is resistant to change. We are developing a model
that takes these differences into account, so that
the programme can tailor Better Work assessment,
advisory and training services to the circumstances of
each individual factory.”
Zainab Yang, BWJ’s Enterprise Advisory Team Leader,
stressed the importance of attending the summit with
colleagues from different countries. “The summit is an
open space for collective learning, a chance to learn
from the experiences of other country programmes
and bring back unified practices to Jordan” she said.
5
Spreading the message on workplace cooperation
in Jordan’s garment factories
The export-oriented garment
industry in developing countries
is known for its fast pace of
production and the pressure on
workers and supervisors to meet
high production targets. In this
often stressful work environment,
pressure to meet targets can often
lead to verbal and physical abuse
on the factory floor.
According to a survey of garment
workers in Jordan carried out
by Better Work, 49.9 percent
considered verbal abuse to be a
concern in their factories. Not only
does verbal abuse violate workers’
rights, newly published Better
Work research from Vietnam
has found that it also decreases
worker productivity and harms
overall business performance.
managers how to avoid passive or
authoritarian styles of leadership
and strike a fair balance between
the interests of the company and
the interests of staff.
increase in factory productivity
and product quality as well as a
decline in staff absenteeism.
BWJ has delivered supervisory
skills training to over 150
supervisors and middle managers
and plans to have trained a total
of 500 supervisors and middle
managers by the end of the year.
Workers in Jordan’s garment
factories are also receiving training
on workplace communication
that encourages them to try to
understand workplace issues from
the perspective of management
and find common ground with
their managers.
An impact evaluation of this
training programme carried out
by the International Finance
Corporation in partnership with
Harvard University found that the
training yields business benefits
for employers, including an
BWJ’s Training Officer, Farah
Al-Azab, has delivered this
programme to over 580 workers.
She believes that if workers and
managers try to find common
ground, many workplace issues
can be resolved without conflict.
To address this pervasive
challenge, Better Work has
developed several training
courses focusing on effective
communication in the workplace
and creating a positive working
environment.
Better Work’s Supervisory Skills
Training programme is one of
the most successful courses
in its curriculum globally,
teaching supervisors and middle
Workers
participate in BWJ
training
Financial literacy: worker training that really pays
With their limited income and
low levels of education, it is no
surprise that garment workers
in developing countries often
lack the tools to cope with the
financial challenges in their dayto-day lives.
such as budgeting, determining
spending priorities and making a
savings plan.
BWJ’s Training Officer, Farah AlAzab, has delivered this training
to over seventy garment workers.
does not keep anything for her
everyday expenses” she said. “If
these women become desperate,
it can lead to serious problems
such as becoming heavily
indebted to other workers or to
shopkeepers.”
To help address this issue,
Better Work Jordan (BWJ) has
launched a financial literacy
training programme for garment
workers. The programme uses an
interactive approach to empower
workers with the knowledge they
need to make the right financial
decisions and covers topics
She has seen many cases of
garment workers who have
suffered because of financial
mismanagement. “There have
been many cases, especially
with female migrant workers,
where a worker who supports
her family in her home country
sends all her money to them and
The financial strains faced by
garment workers are often
caused by poverty, but Farah
Al-Azab notes that some of the
situations they encounter can
be avoided. “Workers can avoid
getting into debt if they learn to
budget and plan their finances
properly” she said.
6
Better Work Jordan is funded and
supported by:
United States Agency for International Development
(USAID)
Jordanian Ministry of Labour
The Better Work global programme is
supported by (in alphabetical order):
Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID)
Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany (BMZ)
International Finance Corporation (funds provided by IrishAid
and The Walt Disney Company)
Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, Switzerland (SECO)
United States Council Foundation, Inc. (funds provided by
select USCIB member companies)
Participating Buyers
Ann Inc.
American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.
Columbia Sportswear Company
Gap, Inc.
Hanesbrands
Jones Apparel Group, Inc.
Li & Fung
L.L. Bean
New Balance
Nordstrom, Inc.
Patagonia, Inc.
Santex
Sears Holding Corporation
Puma
PVH
Ralph Lauren
Swiss Post
Target
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Participating Suppliers
Al Tayaseer Manufacturing Co.
Al Areen for Garment Manufacturing L.L.C.
Al Hadaf Manufacturing Co.
Al Hanan for Clothes Manufacturing
Al-Kawthar Garment Industry &Trade Co. Ltd.
Al Masera Textile
Al Tafilah Apparel Co. Ltd.
Apparel Concepts L.L.C.
Aseel Universal Garments Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Atateks Foreign Trade
Atlanta Garment Manufacturing Company
Business Faith Garment Manufacturing Co.
Camel Textile International Corp.
Casual Wear
Century Miracle
Century Wear
Classic Fashion Apparel Industry Ltd Co.
Classic Fashion Apparel Industry Ltd Co. (Satellite Unit) – Kerak
EAM Maliban Textile Jordan Ltd.
EAM Maliban Textile Jordan Ltd. (Satellite Unit)
Elzay Ready Wear Manufacturing Co.
Fine Apparel Ltd.
Galaxy Apparel Industry
Harthi Textile Industrial
Hi-Tech Textile L.L.C.
Haifa Apparel
Horizon Clothing Manufacturing Co.
International British Garments Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
International Elegance Garment Manufacturing Co.
Ivory Garments Factory L.L.C.
Jerash Classic Garments Manufacturing Co.
Jordan Star
Jordanian Modern Textile
Kareem Manufacturing Company
Modern Apparel Co. Ltd.
Mousa Ready Garment
Mustafa and Kamal Ashraf Trading (Jordan) Garment Ltd.
Needle Craft Ltd. Jordan.
Oasis Textile International Co. Ltd.
Paramount Garment Ltd.
Prestige Apparel Manufacturing Ltd.
Qadri Group
Rainbow Textile
Rich Door Textile Factory.
Rich Pine International Group Ltd.
Sana Factory
Saysaban Garment Manufacturing Co.
Southern Garment Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Standard Jeans Apparel Manufacturing Co.
Standard Jeans Apparel Manufacturing Co. (Satellite Unit)
Standard Textile Jordan
Sterling Apparel Manufacturing
Sterling Apparel Manufacturing – Al Qastal
Sterling Apparel Manufacturing (Satellite Unit)
Straight Line
The Sun Jordan Textiles Co. Ltd.
Third Dimension Apparel L.L.C.
Trans World Apparel Manufacturing Co. Ltd
Tusker Apparel Ltd. Co.
United Creations L.L.C.
Vega Textile Ltd.
Victorious Apparel Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
W&D Apparel (Jordan) Corp.
7
UPCOMING PUBLIC TRAINING
Better Work Jordan offers a range of targeted training programs to managers, supervisors and workers, both in the classroom
and at the factory. Our trainings focus on improving compliance with labour standards, productivity and quality through building effective workplace cooperation. For more information, please contact our offices.
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT
About the course:
This course helps participants understand that OSHM should be an integral part of factory
management. The training gives guidance on how to improve safety and health within factories
to meet both national and international standards. Participants will engage in a series of practical
activities that will not only benefit safety and health within the enterprise, but also offer low-cost
suggestions for improving working conditions and increasing productivity.
Target participants:
Factory management, OSH committee members and trade union/worker representatives
Duration:
2 days
Cost per participant:
80 JDs
INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
About the course:
This course is designed to help factories overcome non-compliance in human resources and bridge
the gap between BWJ standards and current practices in garment sectors. The training programme
covers: Human Resources roles, workplace cooperation, compliance with national labour legislation
and personnel administration. Factories are guided to create concrete action plans, and encouraged
to implement them. BWJ Enterprise Advisors monitor factories’ progress through regular visits.
Target participants:
Human resource managers, Human Resource Officers, Compliance Officers
Duration:
4 days
Cost per participant:
160 JDs
ADVANCED HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
About the course:
This course provides participants with in-depth training on the following human resource
management topics:
»»
Conflict resolution and industrial relations
»»
Performance appraisal
»»
Continuous improvement
»»
Training/capacity building of employees
»»
Competency mapping and job descriptions
»»
Succession planning
»»
Compensation and benefits
Target participants:
Human resource managers, Human Resource Officers, Compliance Officers
Duration:
5 days
Cost per participant:
200 JDs
SUPERVISORY SKILLS TRAINING
About the course:
This course enables participants to gain valuable leadership and management skills to further
enhance dialogue between the company and its employees. The content of the course will cover the
following topics:
»»
How to be a professional supervisor
»»
Building good relationships
»»
Influencing skills
»»
Managing people
»»
Videotaped practice
Target participants:
Factory supervisors and managers
Cost per participant:
90 JDs (45 JDs to be paid by the factory and 45 JDs sponsored by The Walt Disney Company)
Duration:
3 days
This newsletter is published by Better Work Jordan, a joint programme between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and
International Finance Corporation (IFC). The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the official views of the ILO, nor those
of the IFC.
For more information about Better Work Jordan, visit www.betterwork.org/jordan or contact us at [email protected]
8

Download Report