Canada’s Gildan Activewear must comply with Honduran Labour Law!

Support CoDev partner the Honduran Women’s Collective and join us in urging Gildan Activewear to comply with a court order to reinstate fired sweatshop workers.

A Honduran court ruled last June that Canadian corporation Gildan Activewear must reinstate five workers fired four years ago from its San Miguel factory, located in a northern Honduras Free trade zone.  Gildan illegally fired the workers In 2017 after they developed occupational musculoskeletal damage that affected their ability to sew garments for export to the US and Canada.  The workers, members of the Honduran Women’s Collective (CODEMUH), challenged their dismissal, winning the support of the Honduran Social Security Institute, which certified their disabilities as work-related and recommended transfer to different duties at the factory. When Gildan refused to comply, the workers challenged the Canadian company in court. Despite the June court ruling that orders Gildan to reinstate the workers, the company refuses to comply.

Join us in writing to Gildan Activewear Executives in Canada and Honduras to urge them to obey the law and reinstate the fired women.

Dear Mr. Mejía: 

I am writing to express my concern about Gildan Activeware’s failure to comply with the recent ruling of the First Choloma Sectional Court ordering the reinstatement of Gildan workers: Santa Yadira González Amador, Rosa Dalila Lopez Corea, Paola Vanessa Castillo Lopez, Aracely Sagastume Perdomo and Maria Norma Cartagena Garcia. 

The court’s ruling considers medical reports issued by the Honduran Institute of Social Security that confirm that the five workers developed occupational illnesses during their years working at Gildan’s San Miguel factory. The court instructs the company Gildan Activewear San Miguel to reintegrate in equal or better conditions the five workers in accordance with the specifications of the Labour Relocation Report, and to pay the wages they have lost since the illegal dismissal occurred; 

We urge Gildan Activewear Inc. to respect Honduran labour legislation and abide by the court’s ruling. Gildan Activewear Inc must adopt administrative measures for management personnel responsible for violating the Judge's order and guarantee the human and labour rights of workers within Gildan facilities.

We shall continue to monitor this case and to keep the Canadian public informed on the actions of Gildan Activewear in this case. 

Sincerely,