Social justice is your business too, Minister Kocher

On the occasion of the World Day for Social Justice, NeSoVe calls on Minister Kocher to make a clear commitment to the EU supply chain law and workers!

Vienna (OTS) – In February 2022, the EU Commission presented its proposal for an EU supply chain law and it has been under negotiation for a year. Minister Kocher and MEPs must urgently ensure that the loopholes in the EU supply chain law are closed and that workers no longer have to wait for justice. The Commission draft would not affect 99% of all companies in the EU. At the beginning of December, the majority of EU ministers in the Competitiveness Council (COMPET) voted in favor of the EU supply chain law. The position of the Council for the trialogue negotiations was thus established. Minister Kocher abstained from the decision for Austria. “As Labor Minister, Martin Kocher must stand on the side of workers, both nationally and internationally! But with his abstention he gave in to pressure from industry lobbyists instead of representing the interests of workers!” criticized Bettina Rosenberger, Managing Director of the Social Responsibility Network (NeSoVe).

The clothing industry in particular, in which a particularly large number of women work, clearly shows how urgently an EU supply chain law is needed. April will mark the 10th anniversary of the Rana Plaza textile factory collapse that killed over 1,100 workers. The measures taken so far to prevent the worst disaster in the textile industry from happening again are insufficient. An EU supply chain law and a living wage are all the more urgently needed! 91% of the population are also in favor of a supply chain law when it comes to fashion, as a survey by the Chamber of Labor and Greenpeace has shown.

“Minister Kocher’s consideration of reducing the social benefits of part-time employees shows just as clearly that he is not acting in the interests of employees. His lack of commitment to the supply chain law and the intended cuts in social benefits are also aimed specifically at women. Our T-shirts are not only mostly sewn by women, but are often sold by women in retail as part-time employees,” warns Rosenberger.

The EU supply chain law is currently being discussed in several committees in the EU Parliament. The vote in the EU Parliament is expected to take place in May. After that, the trilogue negotiations will begin, in which the Council will also play an important role. “Social Justice is also your Business Minister Kocher! – In Austria as well as along global supply chains,” concluded Rosenberger.

The campaign “Human rights need laws!” is supported by a broad civil society alliance and coordinated by NeSoVe. Together with over 100 NGOs and trade unions from all over Europe, civil society organizations and trade unions are mobilizing for an EU supply chain law that protects human and labor rights, the environment and the climate as part of the new campaign “Justice is Everybody’s Business”. effectively protects.