International Brands and Local Workers: A Mapping of the Apparel and Footwear Industry in the Republic of Moldova

This is the title of a study that attempts to do a mapping of the apparel and footwear brands that produce in the Republic of Moldova as well as to clarify the role of the country in the global production chain. In the absence of credible official data on the number of enterprises and employees in a sector that occupies an important place in the country's export structure, the study tries to determine the real size of the sector, including the number of employees. The study aims also at investigating the working conditions of the employees of this industry. Thus, the study reveals, among others, various problems in this sector such as very low wages, overtime and unpaid work at the rates established by the law, envelope wages, short-term employment contracts and widespread fear among workers to claim their legal rights. The survey data indirectly confirms that the Republic of Moldova is very well integrated into the global production chain and that the clothing and footwear industry of the country is a very important sector of the national economy, which should be treated as such within the sectoral public policies. The study is conducted by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Moldova in partnership with Clean Clothes Campaign and Platzforma.

Download here the full study. Learn here more about the working conditions of the garment workers in Eastern European countries.