“Arman” of other major firms produced in the Balkans ʹ workers treated as slaves

They are shocking evidence from a secret world. I told my principal I can't breathe in this sewing machine. Inside the factory is 30 degrees, and when we work in the car, the temperature rises”, a textile worker in Serbia relates.

After that, the director of the car takes the air tube to the face of her colleague's tailor and says: “This is your problem, and if you can't afford it, there are a lot of people waiting to take your place. The door's over there”

Another relates that the firm's <x0-management asked us to raise money for a pressure meter, because they treat us themselves and don't want to call a doctor if we're fainting”

Both workers want to remain anonymous, like many others who had the courage reported on the European Study of Clean Textile. (CCC) on working conditions in the Serbian textile industry. It is truly considered lucky to find a job in the market economy, in a country where unemployment officially catches 16%, among young people even 30%.

Treated as Slaves

At a time that textile industry workers -- primarily of foreign and working investors for the Western European market -- must endure production conditions under human dignity and the arrogance of their leaders. There are regularly threats to the loss of a job in this industry. Often, complete vacation and toilet days are not offered or are not allowed to go or restricted.

“The workers report, that they are treated as machines or slaves, not as humans. They were shouted, even sexual harassment is in order of the day”, says Bettina Musiolek, CCC co-ordinator for Eastern and Southeast Europe in conversation with Deutsche Welle.

All of this for overtime and a salary below the poverty line. In Serbia officially the minimum existence amounts to 278 euros, and a four-member family needs at least 652 euros to survive. Meanwhile, textile industry workers earn only 202 euros a month in the 227-euro shoe industry. About 100,000 people are employed in Serbia in the sector.

Paradise of Low Pays in Europe

But Serbia is no exception. “For global fashion brands, Eastern European and Balkan countries are a haven of low wages”, the authors of the study point out.

Among them are firms such as Bennett, E. SCRI, GEOX or Vero Mode, but even world brands such as Armani, Calzedonia, Dolce & Gabbana and H&M. Even luxury brands Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Versace produce expensive products cheaply there.

These countries offer qualified, cheap workers. Workers' monthly salaries barely reach minimum state salaries, ranging from 89 euros in Ukraine to 374 euros in Slovakia.

A living salary should be four to five times higher.

Consumer Manipulation

Meanwhile, these marks place the label “Made in Europe” or “Made in EU”, thus offering the consumer the idea that brands are produced in decent conditions.

“In reality of 1.7 million textile workers in the region live in poverty”, the CCC study says. We don't even have to eat “, says a Ukrainian worker.

These conditions are possible only in an extremely friendly social environment toward employers. The “here is primarily about an area without unions, no one protects the interests of workers”, Musolek says, as governments provide direct or indirect subsidies to foreign firms.

So in Serbia, such firms receive large subsidies as well as land below market value, sometimes even without money, and these benefits are added to tax reliefs or to a free infrastructure.

Relationships as in Early Capitalism

There is a downward economic competition, says Stefan Aleksic, one of the authors of the study in conversation with Deutsche Welle.

Serbia's “around it has poorer countries, all fighting for the same investments. This is how competition develops. Who offers foreign capital better conditions for a free production”.

The catastrophic result. “State finances economic backlog”, Aleksic says.

However, the clean clothes campaign does not call for boycott. The guys always tell us, we need these jobs. But they must be adequately paid and improved working conditions”, says Bettina Musiolek.

The road up there is still long. “should initially strengthen unions. You can't believe that working relations there are both in early capitalism and how weak labour market actors”, Musolek points out.