IndustriALL Global Union, IF Metall and H&M Group update Global Framework Agreement

Reflecting on eight years of partnership, this global framework agreement (GFA) marks a new level of commitment to fundamental rights of workers across H&M Group’s supply chain. It covers more than one million garment workers that are employed at the around 1,000 factories run by the manufacturers where H&M Group buys their products.

IndustriALL general secretary Atle Hoie, says on the GFA: “With this renewed agreement we continue the important work in the sector of further empowering workers and unions in H&M’s supply chain. The GFA includes significant achievements, like the inclusion of all core ILO conventions, as well as ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment. Neutrality in union organizing is another important element of the agreement. The national monitoring committees, a global steering committee, a joint industrial relations development committee, and importantly a dispute resolution mechanism that is bound by the decision of the independent mediator, provide a solid ground for functional industrial relations needed for a sustainable textile and garment industry.”

H&M Group CEO Daniel Ervér says: "We are proud about this long lasting collaboration with IndustriALL and IF Metall to continue empowering workers in our supply chain. Well-functioning industrial relations including collective bargaining are key to achieving good working conditions and improved wages in our supply chain. This contributes to a more sustainable fashion industry through functioning labour markets in the countries where we source our products from.”

IF Metall president Marie Nilsson says: “Through this agreement, we renew the commitment to realise a sustainable garment industry, where workers are organised by trade unions. Now the important part begins, ensuring that we move from policy to practice. We are excited to continue this important partnership.”

The agreement includes an updated governance structure to ensure effective implementation of the agreement, a commitment to collaborate on due diligence in line with OECD Guidelines and strengthened language on preventing and providing remedy to gender-based violence and harassment. The updates also acknowledge the importance of the industry collaboration we engage in to improve working conditions for everyone, like ACT, the ACCORD, and the RSC and Employment Injury Scheme (EIS) in Bangladesh.

The Global Framework Agreement will continue to establish that

• The parties will jointly promote signing of collective agreements both at factory, company and industrial level between relevant social partners.
• Workers have the right to refuse unsafe work as part of their health and safety rights.
• The parties will provide training for both management and union representatives on employers’ responsibilities, workers’ rights and obligations, industrial relations, collective bargaining agreements and peaceful conflict resolution.
• H&M will actively use all its possible leverage to ensure that its direct suppliers respect human and trade union rights in the workplace.
• Workers’ representatives are not discriminated against and have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace
• H&M, IndustriALL and IF Metall first signed a Global Framework Agreement in 2015, which was renewed in 2016.

Global Framework Agreements

Global Framework Agreements (GFAs) protect the interests of workers employed in all operations of the multinational companies who sign them.

GFAs are negotiated at the global level between trade unions and companies.They establish the best possible standards on trade union rights, on health and safety, and on the labour relations principles adhered to by the company in its global operations, regardless of the standards existing in a particular country.