Published on 24th November 2022
In 2022, brands have been asked to look closely at workers’ wages
This year, brands were asked to commit to conducting a wage gap analysis, which involves calculating the difference between current worker wages and the living wage. Nice brands have made a commitment to conduct a wage gap analysis and the Nicest brands are those that have published their results. Naughty brands are those that haven’t made a wage gap analysis commitment and the Naughtiest brands have failed to keep up with almost all commitments. You can view the Company Tracker to find out more about the progress of your favorite brands.
Parvin doesn’t get paid a living wage
Parvin has worked in the garment industry for 19 years. She lives with her husband, 14-year-old daughter and 22-year-old son.
Parvin’s son works as a tailor and her husband is too ill to work, so her income is very important to cover the families’ costs, including her husband’s medical bills. Parvin married when she was 15 and when she turned 17, she joined the garment industry because her husband’s income was not sufficient for the family to afford food, education and housing. Even with both parents working, the family struggled with basic costs like rent and food, and she would take loans from friends, family and shopkeepers to get by.
The family lived on rice and lentils, and she could not afford milk for her young children. She also had to make the agonising decision to take her youngest child out of school as she could not afford education for both of her sons. She worked in the same factory for 16 years and found it very stressful as she was forced to work overtime. Just before the work day ended, at about 5pm, employees would be informed if they needed to work four to six hours extra that night. Often, she wouldn’t get home until 1am. She has seen the industry change in the last 19 years and says it is becoming better, especially after the Rana Plaza disaster thrust the industry into the spotlight. At her new factory her wage still isn’t enough to get by, but she does not have to work excessive overtime for little pay.
I was able to come home earlier, and to finish cooking and get to sleep early. I used to frequently get low blood pressure, but I feel physically better now.
– Parvin
Your voice can make a difference to the lives on the women who make our clothes. Brands listen to you, and by all working together we can raise the voices of the workers calling for change.
Demand the Naughty brands pay a living wage
Click the links to the brands’ social media and leave a message asking them to pay a living wage.
Here’s some text you can copy and use:
Hey [brand] –I’m really disappointed to see you on the Naughtiest List and I know you can do better! Will you share the locations of your factories, make a public commitment right now to paying a living wage and start taking some real action? I care about #WhatSheMakes and want the women who make our clothes to be paid enough to live on.
Naughty or Nice at a glance
This is our fifth Naughty or Nice list since 2013. The first year it ran, in the wake of the Rana Plaza disaster, we called on brands to sign onto the Bangladesh accord for safety – all but one of the brands on the tracker have now done this. Thanks to tireless campaigning from workers, Oxfam, and supporters like you, brands have come a long way. You can have a look back on previous lists here:
Stand with the women who make our clothes and demand big brands pay a living wage
Join the What She Makes movement