On December 6, 1865, that’s when we thought the brutal and inhumane practice of slavery was abolished, but looks like we’re back to where we started, but now in Taiwan. However, this is a more modern twist of the concept of slavery as there’s a fee to work for almost no money in return of your labor! Patagonia, an American clothing company that has a focus in high-quality outdoor apparel, has just recently discovered that, without their knowledge, many migrant workers were subject to long hours, low wages, and enormous broker fees in Taiwan. Due to high competition with factories in China, Taiwan decided to let go of most local workers and hire migrant workers; therefore, they could take more advantage of vulnerable and desperate people looking for work. Patagonia discovered that it can take a worker as many as two years to repay a labor broker, and that most labor contracts last less than three years, which means the worker would have to pay the fees again, meaning that those three years of “paid” labor are put right back into the fee. In response to this form of slavery, Patagonia didn’t do what other companies may have done and sugarcoat the truth. Instead, Patagonia addressed and publicized the truth, making their company hold a reputation of integrity.
Patagonia partnered with Verite, an organization that focuses on labor conflicts around the world, whether it’s child labor, slavery, or discrimination, Verite aims to change the inhumane actions companies take to make profit. Both had taken action to create a list of mandates for the Taiwanese supplies to abide by on and after June 1, a few items on the list were the following:
1. “They can either pay the fees themselves or hire workers directly without the use of labor brokers”
2. “Suppliers must repay currently employed workers, who were hired before June 1, all fees that exceeded the legal amount”
3. “There will be no more charging of fees”
Due to the company’s credibility and honesty during the conflicts the supply chain endured, and the major steps taken to abolish any inhumane treatment, Patagonia representatives were invited and asked to present at The White House Forum on Combating Human Trafficking in Supply Chains led by Secretary of State, John Kerry. With universally-wide evidence and agreement, the production world of apparel is not a pretty one, and Captiv8 gives kudos to Patagonia for dealing with this situation so well.
