Back to the Future? A Critical Reflection on Neil Kearney’s Mature Systems of Industrial Relations Perspective on the Governance of Outsourced Apparel Supply Chains

Abstract

As the auditing model for assuring social compliance in apparel commodity chains is called into question, the global quest continues for institutions, policies and governance structures which can contribute towards the protection of worker rights, the promotion of decent work and an upgrading of working conditions and competencies. One such model, promoted by Neil Kearney, the late General Secretary of the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation, calls for the implementation of mature systems of industrial relations (MSIR) based on trade union recognition, procedural agreements and collective bargaining. This working paper charts the origins of MSIR, deconstructs the approach into its constituent elements and critically assesses these against the backdrop of governance debates in outsourced apparel production. Some conclusions and recommendations are drawn for a future research agenda.

Corporate Social Responsibility in Garment Sourcing Networks: Factory Management Perspectives on Ethical Trade in Sri Lanka

“…This is consistent with previous literature which questions the value of monitoring as a means of progressing CSR compliance, given the issues of audit methodology weaknesses, deception and cost ineffectiveness (e.g. Miller et al 2011;ETI, 2007, Usher andNewitt, 2009;Barrientos and Smith, 2007). The vision of some Sri Lankan factory owners and managers was perceived by the retailer as significant in progressing the CSR agenda ̶ something consistent with Hemingway and Maclagan's (2004) recognition of the role of managers' personal values in implementing CSR.…”

“…While previous literature on CSR in apparel GPNs has focused on the worker perspective (Ruwanpura, 2012;Ruwanpura 2013Ruwanpura , 2014a) and despite growing attention to the issue as evidenced by the international research project 'Capturing the Gains' (Miller et al, 2011;Mayer and Pickles, 2010), there has been less focus on understanding production management's role in espousing CSR within the GPN. To the best of our knowledge, this is a clear gap in the research literature and is the contribution of this paper.…”

A rights-based approach to poverty reduction

“…The requirement that workers be represented through workers' organizations in collective bargaining aims to promote more balanced negotiations, given that individual workers often have limited bargaining power in comparison to their employers. 21 This approach both promotes the participation of workers in setting the terms and conditions of their employment (Barrientos and Smith, 2007) and, where mature industrial relations are in place, may generate an environment conducive to sustainable enterprise growth (Miller, Turner and Grinter, 2011). …”

Human Trafficking and Forced Labour: Mapping Corporate Liablity

“…As a 2011 article focused on the garment sector explains: "While buyers are ready to intervene in matters of quality, delivery period and price-usually with some form of financial penalty-interventions in the area of social compliance appear to be more problematic, particularly in regard to wages, hours and job security. " 89 As the head of UnI Commerce put it regarding a well-meaning group of corporate participants in a CSR program, "there are good, competent people on the board with good ideas and good will, but they do not have authority in their firms to deliver on commitments. " 90 As Locke concludes, even well-funded and well-intentioned programs will not necessarily deliver improved conditions.…”

“…meanwhile, there is a growing consensus and research showing that audits almost entirely fail to address decent living wages or the enabling right of freedom of association that would allow workers to attend to all the workplace issues that audits can catch and also those related to "root causes" that audits have proven powerless to impact. 94 While FLA (like SAI) clearly states its commitment to freedom of association, the results of its audits over time show FLA's lack of capacity or sensitivity to the actual practice of freedom of association. Of all violations detected in 14,401 audits between 2002 and 2010 by the FLA and its approved auditors, only 5% concerned freedom of association.…”