Sign up to the Homeworkers Code of Practice
The Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (TCFUA) has estimated there is a pool of around 300,000 homeworkers in Australia - a number which will only increase. A "homeworker" or "outworker" is a person working away from the employer's factory and therefore potentially subject to lower wages and poorer workplace conditions than other employees. Due to the hidden nature of the work it is often difficult to ascertain the number of people working as homeworkers. Peter Lupson, a partner with Melbourne-based law firm Middletons, explains how companies can protect the rights their outworkers.
What is the Code?
The Homeworkers Code of Practice seeks to provide these outworkers with more rights.
The Code, which is a voluntary self-regulatory scheme, is a supplement to the outworker provisions of the federal Clothing Trades Award 1999.
The Code is separated into three parts, covering:
* retailers;
* suppliers, fashion houses, wholesalers and manufacturers; and
* purchasers of sporting or corporate clothing.
What obligations are featured in the Code?
* Upon becoming accredited, retailers and manufacturers must grant the TCFUA access to information on their suppliers, including terms of contracts. This allows the TCFUA to enforce the Code against suppliers, manufacturers and others further down the supply chain who in the past have been able to avoid their legal obligations.
* The retailer/manufacturer must end any contract with a supplier who is found to be in breach of the Code.
* Homeworkers must be paid according to a "Garment Sewing Timing Manual". This creates a system which allows minimum wages for homeworkers to be more effectively enforced.
Why sign up to the Code?
The benefit of seeking accreditation under the Code beyond the moral and ethical reasons, is the ability to deal with some of the largest retailers in Australia to secure business in an extremely competitive market.
With growing support for the 'no sweat shop' label and support for the movement and Code coming from industry groups such as Australian Business Limited, the Australian Industry Group and the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia, suppliers to the industry will need to give real consideration to seeking accreditation under the Code.
How do I register?
Companies need to contact the Homeworker's Code of Practice Committee. Accreditation forms are available at nosweatshoplabel.com/company_info.htm