| |
| |
| |
How
does Fairtrade Help? |
|
|
| |
|
Talon Sports was certified
by Fair trade Labeling Organizations International (FLO) in
2002 and now supplies Fair trade markets in the UK, Italy and
Germany. The objective of Fair trade in the sports ball industry
is to ensure good working conditions for factory and stitching
centre workers and to provide decent wages so that employees
can send their children to school rather than out to work. The
additional Fair trade premium is invested in projects that support
the empowerment and social development of workers and stitchers.
Although there is a government-set minimum wage for the sports
ball industry in Pakistan, workers are often paid less and struggle
to provide for their families. All Fair trade certified producers
pay factory workers at least the minimum wage, and piece-work
rates for stitchers are calculated so that the minimum wage
can be earned within normal working hours. Talon Sports pays
its workers 50% more when they produce Fair trade balls. Fair
trade buyers negotiate a contract price with football producers
in the same way as conventional buyers, with the stipulation
that the agreed price must be above the cost of production.
|
|
|
|
| |
What's fair about Fair
Trade? |
|
| |
Products that carry a Fair Trade label have been
certified that their manufacturing process meets certain social, economic
and environmental standards. Talon has agreed to meet the expectations
of the Fair Trade Labeling Organization (FLO) and to co-operate fully
with their monitoring teams when they visit. The manufacturer's price
includes a "fair-trade premium", about 20% which is to be
used for improvement of the socio-economic situation of the workers,
their families and communities. Workers and management decide jointly
on the use of the premium such as providing an after-school program
or a community. The employer must have the commitment and capacity
to administer the fair trade premium in a way that is transparent
and democratic for workers and the FLO.
|
|
| |
A Fair Living Wage |
|
| |
Under the Fair Trade scheme the calculation is that
a family should have 6,000 Pakistani rupees per month to cover all
basic needs and have some 'money on the side'. Fair stitching wages
are calculated to provide - if Fair Trade orders are there all the
time - individual incomes of more than Rs. 4.000/month (i.e. two earners
are needed per family to reach the Fair Trade minimum). It is not
enough to simply bar children from working; the fair living wage ensures
that the children have enough family support to succeed at school.
Nevertheless, children fewer than 15 are not employed, and the Labour
of children between 15 and 18 must not interfere with education. |
|
|
