Welcome to the Asia Floor Wage
"…the Asia Floor Wage Campaign is an innovative regional initiative for higher wages in a global industry."
National Worker Congress, Sri Lanka
Most of the world's garments are made in Asia, and yet the Asian workers who make them are not paid enough to live on.
The Asia Floor Wage Alliance is a global coalition of trade unions, workers rights and human rights organizations that is actively trying to change this.
The garment industry in Asia provides millions of job to millions of women and men, it has been behind some of the biggest economic growth in the region. But this rapid growth has come at a price - and it is the workers who are paying it.
All garment workers in Asia need a wage increase to be able to provide for themselves and their families basic needs - including housing, food, education and healthcare. However often when workers struggle to improve their wage and conditions in one country, companies relocate to another country where wages and conditions are lower.
Workers, are therefore, afraid to fight for better wages because they might lose their jobs.
The Asia Floor Wage proposes a wage for garment workers across Asia that would be enough for workers to live on, in dignity and safety.
Find out all about how this is calculated, and what it consists of.
This Asia Floor Wage Alliance (AFWA) Approaches Brief presents a step-by-step strategy for preventing gender-based violence perpetrated on garment production lines. The principles and approaches that follow are rooted in ten years of organising by AFWA, including the establishment of the only Asian-led alliance of trade unions and labour rights organisations, and a widespread legitimacy around a regional bargaining approach for Asian garment workers.
Click here to find the document
PERMANENT PEOPLE'S TRIBUNAL ON LIVING WAGES
Giving workers a voice
As part of the Asia Floor Wage Alliance Worker Tribunals have been taking place across the region given workers an opportunity to share their expereinces and speak with government and brand represenatives around the issues they face due to poverty pay in the garment sector.
The tribunals have been held in conjunction with the Permanent People's Tribunal and have gathered testimony from workers, trade unions and experts.
Tribunals have taken place in Sri Lanka, India and Cambodia and between June 20- 24 2014 the latest tribunal took place in Indonesia.
International Labour Day
May 1st is recognised around the world as International Labour Day or International Worker's Day.
Across Asia workers come onto the streets to call for imprved workers rights including safety and the right to a living wage.
In 2013 members of the Asia Floor Wage Alliance in five Asian countries staged rallies and demonstrations highlighting the lack of decent wages garment workers in those countries earned and demending immediate action was taken.
Read all about this cross-national cooperation between garment workers
The work of the Asia Floor Wage alliance is supported by the European Commission, through DG Developement and Co-operation - EuropeAid. The contents of this website are the sole responsibility of the AFWA and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the European Commission.