Posties’ uniforms are now made in China. Following the realisation that many other workers in a wide variety of occupations in New Zealand are wearing uniforms made in China, the Postal Workers Union (PWU) is proposing an international workers’ solidarity campaign around the manufacture and wearing of workplace uniforms.
Under the possible campaign banner ‘Uniform Rights for Workers’, the goal of any campaign would be to encourage the building of two-way workers’ friendship, understanding and solidarity through the mutual link of the manufacture of uniforms by workers in one country (in this case China) and the wearing of the uniforms by workers in another country (New Zealand).
The Postal Workers Union interest had been sparked by the showing at last year’s International Film Festival of the documentary China Blue about the lives and conditions of work of the predominantly young women garment factory workers in China.

The PWU suggests that objectives for a ‘Uniform Rights for Workers’ campaign could include some of the following:

• Comparing the provisions of our own Collective Employment Agreements with the ‘protection’ of corporate social responsibility codes for workers in China.
• Sharing information and experiences between the Chinese garment workers and the wearers of the garments in New Zealand.
• Considering how best to express solidarity with and support for each others’ situations.
• Cooperating with workers in China on the application of and compliance with the social responsibility codes where appropriate and possible, or to work together for appropriate documents to be put in place.
• Considering the social and environmental impacts of local and overseas manufacture.
• Comparing some specific issues for workers in both countries, for example the hazards of the chemical dying processes.
• Organising a speaking tour of New Zealand by a Chinese union organiser or NGO representative with experience and detailed knowledge of the working conditions and organisation of workers in China.
• Considering the feasibility of bringing one or two workers from China to tour New Zealand at the same time.
• Considering the feasibility of a visit by a group of workers from New Zealand to meet garment factory workers making their uniforms in China.
• Establishing a group representing interested workers and unions to develop and coordinate a suitable action plan.

For more information or expressions of interest please contact the Postal Workers Union at pwu@tradeshall.org.nz