Garment workers in many countries are being exploited, says the International Trade Union Confederation. In many countries, including Bangladesh, Cambodia and Indonesia, union-busting measures are frequent and workers attempting to form a union are systematically dismissed. Conditions in the Asia-Pacific have deteriorated more than any other region with an increase in violence, violent attacks on workers, and criminalisation of the right to strike. In Colombia 34 workers were murdered in 2018.

The condition workers in Bangladesh are among the worst in the world. They are exposed to mass dismissals, arrests, violence and state repression against peaceful protests. In the garments sector, strikes are often met with extreme brutality by police forces.

Even in Europe 50 per cent countries now exclude groups of workers from the law, up from 20 per cent in 2018. A shocking 85 per cent of countries violate the right to strike while 80 per cent of them deny some or all workers the right to collective bargaining. Workers have no or restricted access to justice in 72 per cent countries ut of 145 countries; 54 deny or constrain free speech and freedom of assembly. Authorities have impeded the registration of unions in 59 per cent of countries and workers experience violence in 52 countries.