Animale: Reaping profits from forced labour in Indonesia

Appeal for solidarity from an Indonesian trade union, July 22, 2008: Animale, a well known French brand that has been around for about 30 years in the fashion industry, has markets in 30 countries, ranging from advanced industrialised countries in Europe to developing ones in Asia, Latin America and Africa. Visiting Animale shops or online stores, you will find that the prices of their clothing products range from US$500-2000.
However, the success stories of the company - currently led by the President Director Jacques Ruc - are in extreme contrast to the livelihood of its workers.
It has been more than a week since thousands of striking workers created a picket line in front of their factory on 448 Imam Bonjol Street, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. The factory belongs to PT Mitra Garment Indoraya, the company that produces Animale products. After days without getting any results, the company local union of the National Front of Indonesian Workers Struggle (FNPBI) went to the Regional People's Representatives Council to present their demands.
The strike was incited by the company's change to the wage system. The new system reduced wages by 50%. Previously, the workers were paid according to the Bali Province's minimum wage of Rp. 800.000/month (about US$87/month). But from this month the company, which sells its product for hundreds and thousands of dollar, wi paying the workers 50% below the minimum wage, or about Rp. 400.000 a month (US$42.5/month). Now, 1600 workers that produce clothing for all seasons are paid Rp 90 a minute, which means a worker gets Rp 5000 (US$0.60 dollar) for a piece of clothing that would be sold for more than US$1000! Moreover, only 400 workers are permanently employed, the rest are under contract. Animale has clearly violated basic human rights and Indonesian labour laws.
Unlike other garment factories that have to be shut down after being hit by a prolonged crisis, Animale has not experienced any loss of profit. This is evident if one looks at the consistency of the daily production volume, which is at minimum 2,000 pieces a day. Therefore there is no reason that force the company to cut down its workers' wages or to implement contract employment.
I Wayan Sulastra, from the Human Resource, said that the new system is meant to improve production quality so that the price in foreign market can compete with products from other countries. It is a contradiction to say that quality improvement is achieved by reducing the welfare of its workers even to the limit of existing legislation. Should not quality improvement be achieved through firstly improving the welfare of its workers? Now Animale is preparing its new fall collection for 2008 and 2009.
Taking part in helping the workers of PT Garment Indorama win their rights
The workers are determined to keep organising meetings and struggling until their demands are met. They are still in search for justice. Whether you are consumers of Animale products or not, you can help uphold justice and defending the workers' rights. Help us by circulating this appeal and write a protest letter condemning the violation of workers' rights and fax it to the addresses below:

Animale info@animale.com, fax +62361484020,
Labor Department of Bali office fax +62361234619
House of Representative of Bali office fax +62361234619
Governor of Bali fax +62361236037

National Front of Indonesian Workers’ Struggle (FNPBI)
Jl Tebet Dalam 2G no 1
Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia
Telepon and fax : +62218354513
Email: pp_fnpbi@yahoo.com