Outworkers' conditions revealed

By Sean Healy

Forty Australian fashion labels have been named in a recent report as super-exploiting women outworkers. Country Road, Pelaco, Adidas, Sportsgirl, Katies, Jag, Laura Ashley and Nike were all named in the report, “The Hidden Cost of Fashion”.

Speaking in federal parliament, Victorian MP Peter Cleeland singled out Country Road, one of Australia's biggest retail clothing chains. Cleeland quoted the report as saying that the company pays contractors $10 per shirt and outworkers between $6 and $7 per shirt. These shirts retail at $99 each.

More than 300,000 outworkers earn below award wages and work in substandard conditions, most working seven days a week for 12-18 hours per day. “The Hidden Cost of Fashion” claims that 75% of Australian garment manufacturers use outworkers at some stage in production.

Country Road denied the claim that it exploits women workers. Chief executive officer Michael Howell described outsourcing as a “legitimate and flexible means of supplementing production”.

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