Union bosses fear suicides at H&M supplier

KARNATAKA – Union bosses in India have told Apparel Insider they fear a real threat of suicide among 1200 workers from a H&M supplier who were sacked overnight as part of a union-busting exercise. Workers at the Euro Clothing Company (ECC-2) plant, owned by Gokaldas Exports and based in Srirangapatna, India were dismissed on 6 June, only discovering their fate when they arrived at work to find factory machinery being removed from the building.

ECC-2, which supplies almost exclusively to H&M, is one of several factories of Gokaldas – and the only one which is unionised. Gokaldas blamed a sharp downturn in orders due to coronavirus, while union leaders claim H&M was acutely aware that its reduction in orders would directly lead to closure of the factory.