India’s largest apparel maker was found to have violated multiple points of the WRC’s Code of Conduct in late March at its Unit 8 factory in Bangalore, including physical beatings; death threats; gender, caste, and religion-based abuse; threats of mass termination; and the expulsion from the factory of 15 worker activists. Shahi is a supplier to a number of international brands, including Columbia, Puma and VF. Only Columbia actually has apparel made in the facility in question.

The dispute began in mid-April when the Karnataka Garment Workers Union petitioned the company for better drinking water, bus transportation and higher wages. Interviewing ... Log in to view full article.