Unions protest fashion chain's exploitation contracts

GMB held a ‘catwalk of shame’ outside Asos’s London headquarters to protest working conditions at the fashion chain’s Barnsley warehouse.

Workers at the warehouse are given ‘flex’ contracts, where they have to work extra hours or fewer hours without notice, according to investigations by the BBC and Buzzfeed.

They also heard reports high-pressure targets, with workers expected to pick 160 items per hour.

Protesters catwalked along a red carpet outside the Asos office today handing out workers AGM reports to shareholders.

They waved placards calling for the company to respect its 4,000 workers and reform poor working conditions and exploitation contracts.

Neil Derrick, GMB Regional Secretary said:

“We hope GMB’s catwalk of shame will help spread the message about the conditions workers endure at the Asos warehouse in Barnsley. This is a billion pound, global, thriving company which can afford to respect the workers it built its vast empire on the backs of.”

He added:

“Asos trumpets it’s claim to produce fashion with integrity – but they don’t seem so bothered about conditions in Barnsley. Fashions may change – but failing to treat your workers with respect is never a good look.”

GMB has been campaigning at the warehouse since August 2015 and launched a hotline on Black Friday for whistleblowers.

You can sign the GMB’s petition calling for Asos to respect workers’ rights here.

Asos has seen profits rise 37 per cent to £63.7 million after a 26 per cent boost in sales as of October.

Adam Barnett is staff writer for Left Foot Forward. Follow him on Twitter @AdamBarnett13

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