Labours Love Lost

Free trade zone employees, at the end of the supply chain are under increasing pressure to keep costs down as retailers and brand owners offload costs and risks to the supply chain.
Governments competing to attract investment and boost exports according to the report is putting further pressure on workers at the bottom of the supply chain.



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rnA recent report on factory labor conditions here and in other similar countries highlighted the bleak life of the cheap labour.rn

rnUnder pressure to work faster and keep costs down workers at an export processing zone in the outskirts of Colombo went on strike recently.rn

rnThe workers at the Katunayake Export Processing zone struck work demanding a 300-rupee pay rise in a rare show of trade union power. rn

rnFactory workers employed at the zone for years say their salaries dont reflect the amount of work they do.rn

rnldblquote When I joined my basic salary was about Rs. 2,000. Now, after 9 years my basic is still around Rs.

6,000 says Lal, an Export