“Before going any further, Sri Lankan apparel sector should clean up their act by complying with international rules and regulations” Neil Kearney, General Secretary, International Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation (ITGLWF) told a media conference Friday.

The Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) launched the new slogan to show overseas buyers that Sri Lanka does not use child labour and provides good working conditions for workers.

But unions say the 45 dollar-a-month wage of an average factory worker in Sri Lanka is not enough, and it should be higher.

“The apparel forum violates the internationally accepted wage rate of two dollars per day or 6000 rupees per month,” Anton Marcus, Joint Secretary Free Trade Zone and General Services Employees Union, claimed.

“Their member factories have more than 125 hours in overtime and they do not obey the standardized number of work hours per week”

Workers also want profit share schemes introduced and more action to stop sexual harassment as a large majority of workers are young women.

Activists also complain that many factories do not allow trade unions to be formed, which is a gross violation of the freedom of association.

“There are good factories,” says Anton Lodwick Deputy Secretary General of the National Workers Congress.

“But there are more, bad and worse factories.”

Unions also highlighted cases where three companies had dismissed a total of 1024 employees after being denied of rights to form a union and participating in a strike.

Marcus says complaints have been lodged at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) regarding this and other issues.

However Sri Lanka has tight labour laws, and companies have to pay large sums if workers are laid off.

Activits also warn that Sri Lanka may lose concessions given by the European Union under Generallized System of Preferences (GSP+) scheme, unless labour standards are improved.

“We have been given a roadmap by the EU and we have to obey it,” says Marcus. “We might lose the duty concessions if we do not obey.”

Kearney charges that the apparel industry has no credibility to flog the ‘Garments without Guilt’ slogan.

But the JAAF denies the charges.

“Our legal framework is really strong on labour rights,” says Kumar Mirchandani of the JAAF. “If any companies are violating standards we are willing to assist them to take action.”

Mirchandani also says that in addition to the basic wage JAAF factories pay attendance bonuses, production incentives, gives free breakfast and free transport.

“Our factories pay above average salaries, otherwise we cannot attract workers,” he said.

Meanwhile analysts warn that many developed nations now push labour standards because unions in their home countries want to keep foreign goods from developing countries out their markets, in order to protect their own workers.

They also warn that international trade unions which are controlled by well organized unions from developed nations, could be playing to an agenda that may not ultimately benefit workers of developing nations.