Independent grievance system

Many producers in High Risk Countries (usually non-European low wage countries of the textile industry) often have insufficient mechanisms to handle complaints regarding the violation of human rights or in regard to poor working practices. Therefore, the Fair Wear Foundation has established complaint hotlines that act as a safety net.

Local Complaint Handlers are central to this system; they can be reached locally by telephone. This number is available on all "Code of Labour Practice" (CoLP) posters in the native language, and must be posted in all facilities. Because posters must also be on display when no audit has yet taken place, all employees of our producers should have the possibility to register violations against the CoLP.

Complaint Handlers:

• are easily accessible since they are locally based, in the same language, and not in a different time zone. 
  
• speak both the local language and English. This allows them to communicate well with the workers and forward complaints to their FWF Contact Person in the country that guides them through their European FWF to us. 
  
• are trustworthy because they are primarily labor representatives or representatives of women's NGOs.
  

Almost every audit had the same complaint. Interviews with employees showed that they had not been informed of the Code of Labour Practice and the grievance mechanisms.

In addition, the facility audits showed that the grievance mechanisms were not explained and the employees had no confidence in the complaint mechanism.

• There was no internal complaint mechanism available.
  
• Complaint protocols were not filed.

We discuss with the producers why it is important to have a grievance mechanism and to educate workers about the grievance system. The aim of the producer should be to keep employees satisfied in order to achieve good quality and efficiency, and achieve a stable customer base.

The Fair Wear Foundation has a Workplace Education Program. This program provides all levels of management with information on the rights, duties and responsibilities of each employee, regardless of his or her level within the hierarchy. We implemented the Workplace Education Program in seven production facilities in China and Vietnam in 2014 that was very well received.

We can see that the grievance mechanisms are being used as the following complaints have been submitted:

• wages paid incorrectly
  
• bonus not paid correctly
  
• adjustment of the wage system was made without proper notice to employees
  
• wages paid late
  
• unclear calculation of the piece rate price
  

The following complaints were recorded in the audits:

• Employees complained about poor quality of canteen food 
  
• Employees complained about the incorrect calculation of piece rate prices 
  

All complaints were processed under the specifications of the Grievance Mechanism with the FWF in a timely manner. They are publicly available on the FWF website: VAUDE on the FWF website