II. GBVH remediation & Freedom of Association

Are Central To Mature Industrial Relations

GBVH remediation and access to FOA are mutually reinforcing because they both support the creation of safe and equitable workplaces and serve to empower workers individually and collectively. This in turn builds trust between workers and management, fostering a more collaborative work environment and mature industrial relations (IR). This is a core principle enshrined in ILO C190, which recognizes the interconnection, within discrimination, between violence and harassment and FOA.

A. Access to FOA is essential to GBVH remediation

GBVH is an interpersonal experience underpinned by unequal power relationships in the workplace. When the employer’s institutional responses allow harm to continue unchecked, that contributes to a culture of fear that discourages reporting. FOA counteracts this power imbalance, allowing women to exercise a collective voice in demanding remediation and eliminating workers’ fear of retaliation. This is demonstrated in the increased reporting of grievances, in particular, of less severe forms of GBVH and other violations, that were quickly resolved (see chapter 3, section II).

The Dindigul Agreement acknowledges FOA as a necessary condition to address GBVH in the definition and as a shared principle between TTCU, Eastman, Brands, AFWA, and GLJ-ILRF in each agreement. In the TTCU-Eastman Agreement, it is also stated that all parties agree to fully cooperate and refrain from acts of retaliation, discrimination, or interference. The agreements also protect FOA explicitly in the typology of violations and remedies. Importantly, this was reinforced to workers and management during a joint union-management public announcement of the agreement at all floors of all workplace facilities to all workers and management. This assurance of FOA, backed by powerful business consequences and projected visibly, has built women workers’ confidence of their safety at the workplace, leading to increased and timely reporting. Additionally, the top-level management commitment to FOA protections, backed by strong business consequences for the supplier, has contributed to a shift in management openness and has led to the quick resolution of low-level grievances, thus preventing dangerous escalation.

B. GBVH remediation with FOA is central to mature industrial relations

Mature IR is characterized by respect for workers’ rights to form and join unions and collectively bargain; increased cooperation between managers, workers, and unions; reduction in conflicts between management and workers; and strengthened social dialogue. 9 These conditions are precipitated through individual and collective empowerment of workers, as well as collective bargaining agreements. In sectors like garment manufacturing where GBVH is widespread, GBVH remediation is central to mature IR. Where fear of reporting GBVH is eliminated, workers are more likely to confidently report a variety of grievances, including labor violations, lack of access to basic amenities, occupational safety and health violations, and productivity issues. This creates a greater sense of collaboration and recognition of the importance of workers’ role in the production process, as shown in chapter 3, section II.

The Dindigul Agreement creates core structures important to achieving mature IR. The systems created through the Agreement, such as regular remediation meetings, emphasize meaningful cooperation between workers, union, and management for all activities. Workers’ increased confidence and access to space for dialogue leads to timely identification of problems on production lines that are co-resolved directly between workers and management staff, through Shop Floor Monitors, or in regular remediation meetings between union and management (see page 78).