Apparel Online India Magazine July 2nd Issue 2018 | Page 19

COVER STORY
the Worker Rights Consortium
Assessment Shahi Exports Pvt. Ltd.
(Bangalore, India) Findings And
Recommendations – released in June.
Rarely do we see a report that is so
pointed and specific to a company.
Many damaging allegations have
been made, as the report claims that
mid-level professionals of the export
house threatened and misbehaved
with the workers who were asking for
increase in wages. There are serious
allegations of abuse and violence on
the managers of the company.
“An investigation by the WRC has
found that from late March through
mid-April 2018, the management
of Shahi Exports was engaged in a
campaign of vicious repression and
retaliation against workers’ exercise
of fundamental labour rights, which
included physical beatings; death
threats; gender, caste, and religion-
based abuse; threats of mass
termination; and the expulsion of 15
worker activists from the factory. The
violations occurred at Shahi’s Unit
8 factory in Bangalore, in the course
of a deliberate effort by Shahi to
repress the organisation of a union at
the factory and, relatedly, prevent an
increase in garment workers’ wages,”
the report reads.
In response to Apparel Online’s
query for clarification on the news
of allegations made by WRC, Anant
Ahuja, Director, Shahi Exports
came forward to put the records
straight. “Shahi does not agree
with the allegations made in the
report. This report lacks proper
evidence and is one-sided. It is a
partial account of what we have done
on the matter, as WRC decided to
release the report while our internal
investigations and actions were
underway. They have also outrightly
refused to accept local Government
and judicial authorities and are
propagating allegations based on
solely their own investigation,” he
said forcefully.
Going deeper into the accusations,
Anant pointed out that the allegations
made against Shahi managers of
beating, verbal abuse, including caste
and religion-based, are all criminal
offences. Caste and religion-based
allegations have entitlement to
upfront bail provisions not available to
accused persons. A police complaint
was registered by the employees on
the day of the event. The state police
have since carried out investigation
as mandated under law. “We remain
in support of handling this issue
and full cooperation will be given
to the authorities,” added Anant.
Police authorities, the state agency
handling criminal offenses, are yet to
conclude their findings. Meanwhile, 34
employees who were present during
the event have given a statement
to police that these allegations
are not true. An independent NGO
investigation of over 300 employees
was conducted at the factory which
did not confirm the allegations of the
WRC report. 
Taking the situation head-on, the
company has taken quick and
proactive steps to address the
allegations. The 15 employees who
were initially suspended by Shahi
were offered reinstatement back to
the factory with all their wages back
for the period under suspension, and
according to Shahi management, all
rejoined on June 27. The company
has also unconditionally expressed
regret to the concerned 15 workmen
for the hardship caused to them
on 4th April and assured them of
their commitment toward their
safety and comfort at the job.
Further, the Shahi personnel against
whom allegations have been made
are suspended, and based on an
investigation to be carried out by a
senior management committee, Shahi
has assured that severe punitive
action will be taken against them if
found guilty. It has been categorically
stated that Shahi recognises freedom
of expression and has agreed to
constructively engage with the
Karnataka Garment Workers Union
and hold discussions on issues faced
by workers.
There were also certain allegations
of loss of valuables by some of the
workmen, and Shahi has agreed to
restore all the valuables and if same
cannot be restored, then Shahi has
agreed to compensate the financial
Cividep India and Fair Wear Foundation have worked on reducing economic discrimination,
training women for supervisory roles
ESSENTIALS
Many NGOs
working in the
textile value
chain are deeply
involved in
workers’ rights
initiatives
to ensure
that human
rights abuses,
environmental
damage,
unfair business
practices and
violations of
workers’ rights
by companies
are addressed.
While many
of them are
working at the
grassroot level,
many others are
looking at the
supply chain in
totality.
value of the same. In response to
the proactive approac