Maquila Solidarity Network

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The Maquila Solidarity Network (MSN) is a labor and women's rights organization in Canada to protect workers in maquiladora factories in Mexico and Central America . As an NGO, it also seeks to make retailers in Europe and North America more aware of the conditions under which the goods they sell are manufactured.

MSN has been working primarily for fair working conditions in the clothing industry since 1995 and is also making advances in this regard at department stores , for example at Karstadt in Europe. In Honduras in 2003, among other things, she succeeded in persuading the sportswear company Gildan to comply with the mandatory occupational health and safety regulations and regulations for pregnant women . In various places, Maquiladora employees are supported in forming company groups or local trade unions if they are exposed to repression by the management.

A study published in December 2005 on labor standards in the clothing industry shows that the campaigns will also have a medium-term impact on large textile groups operating in Latin America: three companies have now improved to 70 out of 100 points ( Levi Strauss & Co. , GAP Inc . and Nike Inc. ), others are only slightly lower ( H&M , Liz Claiborne). The previously less cooperative companies such as Benetton , Blaumax, Lee Corporation , Polo Ralph Lauren , Replay , Versace or Wrangler are coming under gentle pressure from the publications to also improve working conditions.

The headquarters of the Maquila Solidarity Network is at the Secretariat of the Ethical Trading Action Group (ETAG) in Canada, a cooperation between various NGO groups (“coalition of faith, labor and non-governmental organizations advocating for government policies, voluntary codes of conduct and purchasing policies that promote humane labor practices based on accepted international labor standards ”).

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