in the news 8-15 February 2018

VIETNAM

* Workers in Đồng Nai receive delayed salary
Authorities in the southern province of Đồng Nai on February 11 used their own budget to pay the salary and Lunar New Year (Tết) bonus for two thousand workers of a company whose managers have fled the country.

On the morning of February 11, representatives from Đồng Nai Labour Federation and the provincial labour and social affairs department came to the South Korea-invested textile and garment manufacturer KL Texwell Vina based in Bàu Xéo Industrial Park, Trảng Bom District to organise payments.

Vietnam News Agency reported that from early morning, nearly 2,000 workers of the company lined up under tight security, waiting for their turn….
http://vietnamnews.vn/society/422885/workers-in-dong-nai-receive-delayed-salary.html

* South Korean firm leaves 2,000 textile workers out of pocket for Tet
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/195583/south-korean-firm-leaves-2-000-workers-out-of-pocket-for-tet.html

*  Workers receive free tickets to return to hometown for Tết
http://vietnamnews.vn/society/422935/workers-receive-free-tickets-to-return-to-hometown-for-tet.html

* FDI enterprises pay lowest taxes despite high profits
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/195465/fdi-enterprises-pay-lowest-taxes-despite-high-profits.html

* Vietnam must take advantage of trade deals
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/195326/vietnam-must-take-advantage-of-trade-deals.html

* Textile exports to China growing
http://vietnamnews.vn/economy/422828/textile-exports-to-china-growing.html

CAMBODIA

* Workers demand release of jailed union leaders
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50108443/workers-demand-release-jailed-union-leaders/

* Ministry meets with protesting garment workers following factory closures
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/ministry-meets-protesting-garment-workers-following-factory-closures http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/workers-protest-factory-shutdowns

* Workers protest factory shutdowns
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/workers-protest-factory-shutdowns

* Garment workers protest over unpaid wages
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50107383/garment-workers-protest-unpaid-wages-2/

* Committee on factory faintings convenes for first time
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/committee-factory-faintings-convenes-first-time
&
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50108422/committee-probe-factory-faintings/

* How short-term contracts are putting Cambodia’s pregnant factory workers in a precarious position
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national-post-depth/how-short-term-contracts-are-putting-cambodias-pregnant-factory-workers

* GMAC asks for delay on truck ban
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/gmac-asks-delay-truck-ban
&
http://www.khmertimeskh.com/50108621/gmac-pleas-for-return-of-trucks/

* New US legislation would impose more sanctions on Cambodia, ban negotiations on debt relief
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/new-us-legislation-would-impose-more-sanctions-cambodia-ban-negotiations-debt-relief

MYANMAR/BURMA

* International community eyes investing in industrial zones in Yangon
http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/business/13386

BANGLADESH

* Bangladesh’s Garment Industry Boom Leaving Workers Behind
http://www.ipsnews.net/2018/02/bangladeshs-garment-industry-boom-leaving-workers-behind/

* Govt eases conditions of trade unionism
http://www.thedailystar.net/business/govt-eases-conditions-trade-unionism-1534990

* ILO finds govt step on membership threshold for TU inadequate
http://www.newagebd.net/article/34400/ilo-finds-govt-step-on-membership-threshold-for-tu-inadequate

* European MPs expect ‘less confrontation, hostility’ in coming months
http://www.thedailystar.net/country/european-parliamentary-delegation-mp-expect-less-confrontation-hostility-coming-months-bangladesh-1534675

* Govt plans labour courts in Sylhet, Rangpur
https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/govt-plans-labour-courts-in-sylhet-rangpur-1518610215

 

* Accord cuts ties with 37 more RMG factories
http://www.newagebd.net/article/34605/accord-cuts-ties-with-37-more-rmg-factories

* Man-made fibres getting popular among RMG makers
http://www.thedailystar.net/business/man-made-fibres-getting-popular-among-rmg-makers-1534414

* ‘Technology will define the future of Bangladeshi apparel’
http://www.dhakatribune.com/business/2018/02/12/technology-will-define-the-future-of-bangladeshi-apparel/

* Train garment workers to save their jobs amid automation: experts
http://www.thedailystar.net/business/train-garment-workers-save-their-jobs-amid-automation-experts-1533931

* Bangladesh RMG industry should be fashion-focused
http://www.newagebd.net/article/34674/bangladesh-rmg-industry-should-be-fashion-focused

* Bangladesh apparel products losing ground in US markets
http://www.dhakatribune.com/business/2018/02/11/bangladesh-apparel-products-losing-ground-us-markets/
&
http://en.prothomalo.com/economy/news/171056/Bangladesh-losing-RMG-market-share-in-US

* Gas shortage holds back textile sector: BTMA
http://www.newagebd.net/article/34403/gas-shortage-holds-back-textile-sector-btma

* 30 factories to face sudden NBR drive
ILLEGAL FOREIGN WORKERS -On average, 11,000 foreigners have tax files with the NBR though different agencies including the NBR suspect that the number of foreign workers in the country to be several lakhs, mostly from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and some western countries.
They are mostly working in textile, readymade garment, engineering, manufacturing and services sectors. ..
http://www.newagebd.net/article/34532/30-factories-to-face-sudden-nbr-drive

* Govt plans ‘textile village’ under PPP (public-private partnership)
http://www.thedailystar.net/business/govt-plans-textile-village-under-ppp-1534402

INDIA

* Suicide at Indian spinning mill sparks child labour investigation
https://www.reuters.com/article/india-textiles-children/suicide-at-indian-spinning-mill-sparks-child-labour-investigation-idUSL4N1PX47R

* Third powerloom worker dies in 15 days in Muradnagar, protests break out
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ghaziabad/third-powerloom-worker-dies-in-15-days-in-muradnagar-protests-break-out/articleshow/62842653.cms

* One dies in Karol Bagh garment factory fire
A 35-year-old labourer was killed when a major fire broke out in a garment factory in central Delhi’s Karol Bagh in the early hours on Saturday. The deceased died of asphyxiation, the police said…
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/one-dies-in-karol-bagh-garment-factory-fire/article22719212.ece

* Fire in Delhi’s Karol Bagh kills one person
http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/delhi/2018/feb/10/fire-in-delhis-karol-bagh-kills-one-person-1771223.html
&
http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-fire-at-karol-bagh-garment-factory-death-toll-5058104/
&
https://www.ndtv.com/delhi-news/fire-in-delhi-garment-factory-kills-1-1811003

 

* New textile policy soon
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/new-textile-policy-soon/article22709979.ece

* Smriti Irani highlights achievements & key initiatives of textile ministry
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/smriti-irani-highlights-achievements-key-initiatives-of-textile-ministry/articleshow/62906023.cms

* Hike in remission of state levies funds to boost textile export: Textile Minister Smriti Irani
http://www.newindianexpress.com/business/2018/feb/13/hike-in-remission-of-state-levies-funds-to-boost-textile-export-textile-minister-smriti-irani-1772755.html

 

* Pest attack has killed crops and hopes of 41 lakh farmers in Maharashtra
https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/pest-attack-has-killed-crops-and-hopes-of-41-lakh-farmers-in-maharashtra/story-tOJb1CVpXcC1ProjSHIBjP.html

* Maharashtra farmers fight attack of the pests
https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/maharashtra-farmers-fight-attack-of-the-pests/story-P71l5W7al3Z7EmXCloz0gO.html

* To curb illegal HT cotton, Andhra bans herbicide
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/to-curb-illegal-ht-cotton-andhra-bans-herbicide/articleshow/62906991.cms

* Drop in yields, cotton output estimates lowered in region
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/drop-in-yields-cotton-output-estimates-lowered-in-region/articleshow/62842559.cms

PAKISTAN

* Five years on, MQM-P leader Rauf Siddiqui, nine others indicted in Baldia factory fire case
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1635082/1-five-years-mqm-p-leader-rauf-siddiqui-nine-others-indicted-baldia-factory-fire-case/

* MPA Rauf Siddiqui, nine others indicted in Baldia factory fire case
https://www.dawn.com/news/1389467/mpa-rauf-siddiqui-nine-others-indicted-in-baldia-factory-fire-case
&
https://dailytimes.com.pk/202327/rauf-siddiqui-indicted-baldia-factory-case/

 

* Minimum wage: Fact or fiction?
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/opinion/minimum-wage-fact-or-fiction/

* Sindh govt announces first ever labour policy draft
https://dailytimes.com.pk/199680/sindh-govt-announces-first-ever-labour-policy-draft/

* Govt unveils first Sindh Labour Policy 2018
https://www.dawn.com/news/1388589/govt-unveils-first-sindh-labour-policy-2018

* PTI has incorporated textile industry’s suggestions in its manifesto, Imran tells APTMA
https://dailytimes.com.pk/198035/pti-incorporated-textile-industrys-suggestions-manifesto-imran-tells-aptma/

* Sindh govt told to provide 300 acres of land for Banarsi Cloth City
https://dailytimes.com.pk/29913/sindh-govt-told-to-provide-300-acres-of-land-for-banarsi-cloth-city/

OTHER

* #GoTransparent campaign win: Primark publishes factory locations
https://cleanclothes.org/news/2018/02/09/primark-publishes-factory-locations-after-pressure-of-gotransparent-campaign

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latest tweets (& news)

Convention on the Rights of the Child
Universal Declaration of Human Rights

I wonder who they are
The men who really run this land
And I wonder why they run it
With such a thoughtless hand

What are their names
And on what streets do they live
I'd like to ride right over
This afternoon and give
Them a piece of my mind
About peace for mankind
Peace is not an awful lot to ask
    David Crosby

I wonder who they are
The people who are buying these clothes
I'd like to know what they've paid for it
How much the makers have paid for this
Fairer income is not an awful lot to ask
Better working conditions is not an awful lot to ask
    A. Searcher

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