Fashion firm Zara accused of involvement in ’slave labor’ factories

According to Argentinian investigators, workers at factories which produce garments for fashion retailer Zara have been discovered in “degrading” sweatshop conditions. The workers — including children — were allegedly made to work 13-hour shifts, were not allowed to leave without permission, and were forced to work without breaks. More on Smartplanet. Zara is part of Spanish group Inditex, Industrias de Diseno Textil, S.A.,(ITX:Continuous), (ITX:SM), (ES:ITX) a Global Compact participant since 2001/09/19. Inditex was a Silver contributor to the Global Compact Foundation in 2012.

UNI Global Union slams IKEA Turkey for worker abuses

At the Forum on Union Rights and Organising in Istanbul, UNI Global Union and its affiliate Koop-Is described how IKEA Turkey is deliberately discriminating against unionised employees and actively discouraging workers from forming a union, using tactics including bribery and intimidation. More on Uni Global Union website. The IKEA Group is a Global Compact participant since 2004/12/27. IKEA was a Gold contributor to the Foundation for the Global Compact in 2010 and 2009.

Microsoft investigating report of child labor violations in China

An investigation released Tuesday by the non-profit National Labor Committee reported that Microsoft's hardware division has been contracting with a factory in China that recruits teenagers as young as 14 who work under abusive conditions in 15-hour daily shifts for as little as 52 cents an hour, after deductions for factory food. More on Business Journal. Microsoft Corp. is a Global Compact participant since 2006/11/08.

Overtime Lawsuit against Scotiabank Gets Green Light

In June 2011, the Global and Mail reported Bank of Nova Scotia lost a bid to quash a massive class-action lawsuit that claims Global Compact participant Scotiabank unfairly denied more than 5,000 of its employees compensation for overtime work.


Read more:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/the-law-page/law-page-archive/scotiabank-loses-appeal-of-overtime-lawsuit/article2048871/

http://www.canadianclassactionslaw.com/employment/ontario-court-certifies-overtime-class-action/