The article discusses the Dindigul agreement, a labor management agreement between the Indian garment factory Natchi and several brands including H&M. The agreement was signed in 2018 after a young worker named Kathiravel was murdered by his colleagues, and it included provisions for better working conditions, training, and grievance mechanisms.
The article reports that since the agreement's implementation, there has been an improvement in working conditions at Natchi, with workers reporting reduced harassment and a stronger sense of freedom. However, some brands, such as Walmart and Zara's owner Inditex, have not signed the agreement or placed orders with the factory.
Experts believe that one reason for this is that the industry is hesitant to adopt collective bargaining agreements, fearing they may lead to strikes or disruptions in production. Another factor is the impact of the US-China trade tensions, which has led to tariffs and made it difficult for brands to source goods from Natchi.
The article also mentions that the EU's corporate sustainability due diligence directive was intended to provide a framework for companies to improve their supply chain practices, but it has been watered down. Experts believe that unless there is another major tragedy or incident, little will be done to address these issues.
Overall, the article highlights the challenges of creating and enforcing labor management agreements in the garment industry, particularly in countries like India where workers often face exploitation and harassment. The Dindigul agreement serves as a model for how companies can work with suppliers to improve working conditions and ensure that their products are produced with dignity and respect for workers' rights.
The article reports that since the agreement's implementation, there has been an improvement in working conditions at Natchi, with workers reporting reduced harassment and a stronger sense of freedom. However, some brands, such as Walmart and Zara's owner Inditex, have not signed the agreement or placed orders with the factory.
Experts believe that one reason for this is that the industry is hesitant to adopt collective bargaining agreements, fearing they may lead to strikes or disruptions in production. Another factor is the impact of the US-China trade tensions, which has led to tariffs and made it difficult for brands to source goods from Natchi.
The article also mentions that the EU's corporate sustainability due diligence directive was intended to provide a framework for companies to improve their supply chain practices, but it has been watered down. Experts believe that unless there is another major tragedy or incident, little will be done to address these issues.
Overall, the article highlights the challenges of creating and enforcing labor management agreements in the garment industry, particularly in countries like India where workers often face exploitation and harassment. The Dindigul agreement serves as a model for how companies can work with suppliers to improve working conditions and ensure that their products are produced with dignity and respect for workers' rights.
. Like, whats the point of having a "sustainability due diligence directive" if you're just gonna water it down? 
And yeah, the US-China trade tensions definitely makes it harder for brands to source goods from India but thats not an excuse not to do better. I mean, we've seen some real progress with the Dindigul agreement and its like a model or something, why can't other companies follow suit? 
Its also super interesting that there is this fear of collective bargaining agreements leading to strikes or production disruptions... like what does that even say about how much these brands value their workers? 
. And don't even get me started on the EU corporate sustainability directive getting watered down 
. It's like, we need more pressure from consumers and governments to make real change happen 
️. I mean, the Dindigul agreement is a great model, but unless we see more brands jumping on board, it's just going to be a drop in the ocean 
. We need to keep pushing for better labor practices and holding companies accountable 
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! It shows that brands are taking responsibility for ensuring their suppliers treat workers right. And yeah, I get that some brands haven't signed on... but that just means we need to keep pushing for better practices 
. The US-China trade tensions thing is a bummer, but let's not let it bring us down 
. We gotta keep the momentum going and encourage more brands to sign up for agreements like Dindigul. And honestly, even if some progress slows down (and I know that can be frustrating), we've got this agreement as a model to build on 
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natchi factory has seen real improvements since the agreement was implemented 
or maybe its cuz the us-china trade tensions r making it hard for them 2 source goods from india 
anyway, this corporate sustainability directive sounds like a great idea but idk if its gonna make a diff w/o some major pushback 
. It's awesome to see brands like H&M prioritizing workers' safety and well-being, even if it means taking on some extra costs 
. I wish more brands would take notice and follow suit, though - the EU corporate sustainability directive should be doing more to help companies prioritize their suppliers' labor practices 
. We need more transparency and accountability in the fashion industry, for sure 
!
. Its frustrating when experts say the US-China trade tensions are making it hard for brands to source goods from India and then some companies just take advantage of that 
. Maybe thats a sign that we need more pressure on the EU's corporate sustainability due diligence directive to be enforced properly 
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. But anyway, since then, things have improved at the factory - workers are saying less harassment, more freedom, that kinda thing. 
. Experts say its because they're scared of strikes or production disruptions, but also because of these US-China trade tensions that are making it hard for them to get stuff from India. 
. We should be supporting brands that care about workers' rights, you feel? 
which is more than most of us can say. EU corporate sustainability directive? sounds like a fancy way of saying "we'll try harder" 
. We can't keep sweeping this under the rug or saying "oh, it's just business as usual" - we need to make some real changes 
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. It's hard to see how much more needs to go wrong before companies start taking real action to support their workers. I guess this just highlights the importance of holding brands accountable for their supply chains 
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. it's not just about doing the right thing, but also about being a responsible business partner 
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. I think there needs to be more pressure on them to sign up and take responsibility for their supply chains 
. It's all well and good saying you're a corporate social responsible company, but until you actually put your money where your mouth is, it's just empty words 
It's like they're more worried about profit margins than people's lives. And now with the EU directive being watered down, it's like they're just gonna keep on doing whatever they want without anyone holding them accountable 
. Is it really just about fear of strikes or disruptions? Or is there more to it than that?