Bang Out Of Order
Rights & Respect for UK Homeworkers: The NGH Christmas Campaign 2004
In October 2004, in the lead up to Christmas the NGH launched ‘Bang Out of Order!’ a popular campaign calling for improved Rights and Respect for UK homeworkers. The campaign, which was targeted at the ‘Big 4’ supermarkets (Asda, Tesco, Safeway-Morrisons, Sainsbury’s), was the result of 3 years of frustration trying to engage major retailers in discussions to improve the situation for homeworkers, however finding that in reality very little action was being taken. The campaign also sought to lobby government on a series of issues including proper enforcement of the National Minimum Wage and entitlement to holiday pay, ratification to the ILO convention 177 on homework and most significantly a clarification of Employment Status for homeworkers.
The aims of the campaign were to:
• raise awareness of the issues facing many homeworkers
• raise consumer awareness of the presence of UK homeworkers within the supply chains of major retailers
• place demands on both retailers and the UK government to provide and ensure more meaningful commitment to the issues facing UK homeworkers
• to encourage both retailers and government to provide evidence and responses as to how they seek to improve the conditions of some of the most vulnerable workers in the UK
One of the most successful and highly encouraging aspects of the homeworker campaign was the extent to which the public, NGH members and supporters across the UK took on the issues and sought to raise awareness. The main focus of the campaign was around a postcard action, encouraging consumers to hand in cards at their local Big 4 supermarket asking retailers to explain how they ensure that the rights and respect of UK homeworkers within their supply chains are upheld and their livelihoods protected. Petitions were also circulated with the main retailer demands listed, these were then sent in to each of the Big 4 supermarkets. Campaign letters were also used and sent to supermarkets, local MP’s and Gerry Sutcliffe and Patricia Hewitt at the DTI. Local actions were also encouraged outside local supermarkets in order to raise public awareness of the campaign.
Actions were carried out in imaginative and innovative ways with banners, fancy dress costumes, stalls and stunts including the use of giant exploding Christmas crackers.
The Bang out of Order campaign was part of a wider strategy employed by NGH and other supporting NGO’s to increase the pressure on Supermarkets and Government to move towards more positive change for the pay and conditions of UK Homeworkers. Dialogue through the Ethical Trading Initiative was seen as a significant strategy to bring about change, however the need for public pressure was also felt crucial in order to encourage the retailers to put into action the ethical rhetoric they so happily preach. The public awareness raised during the campaign was significant however the pressure needs to continue if meaningful long term change is to be made.
Pressure on Government will continue around the three main demands, with a specific campaign callling on the government to clarify and strengthen the employment status of homeworkers and other vulnerable workers - see our EQUAL RIGHTS = EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS campaign. As a follow on from the Bang out of Order campaign and with recognition of the weaknesses of voluntary codes in bringing about genuine change within retailer practices, the NGH will also now seek to lobby the Government for a more robust approach towards supermarkets and their supply chain practices. To ensure that workers rights are upheld and that the relationships between retailer and supplier are not abused, the NGH will be supporting other NGOs in the call for a regulatory body as suggested by the Office of Fair Trading.
When the major retail chains address and improve their purchasing practices the goal of ensuring good working conditions for all workers in their supply chains will become achievable.