Uniqlo operator ties up with ILO to improve Asia worker environments

If they're so concerned, why don't they set up their own Uniqlo factories in the Third World Instead of using shady local suppliers? That's the nub of the problem, which they don't want to address.

The operator of Uniqlo casual clothing stores will provide $1.8 million in funding over a two-year period through 2021 for ILO research on the labor markets and social security systems in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Myanmar and Vietnam, countries where the Japanese company has production bases.

Most of the 1.8million dollars will vanish as expenditure for a few ILO workers engaged in the study while the slaves in the sweat shops toil on slave wages.

It is nothing but a PR move, if they are so concerned with the well being of the workers why not increase the pay of the workers instead of wasting it on people already on fat salaries.

I recently bought a chino pants for 3200¥ over there while at costo they sell levis jeans at 3500¥, made in Lesotho.

*Dentsu

Uniqlo is slave labor. A lot of my students at the University tend to quit their jobs and have difficulties in school because of working at Uniqlo. They are expected to put in many hours of overtime. Some part time and full time contracts include 45 hours of overtime. But they are expected to put in much more.

This is not unique to uniqlo, it's a part of Japanese culture. Dental ring a bell?

I went into my local Uniqlo recently and I was really stunned to see that the 10-12 cashiers (it's a big shop) have all been replaced by a high-tech RFID self-checkout system. I asked the one guy still working there what happened to all the other employees. He just gave me a nervous smile and a 'so desu neeee...'.

100% agree with @Chip Star.

In my opinion admitting that the labor problem exists is already a big step forward for Japanese companies.

Uniqlo is slave labor. A lot of my students at the University tend to quit their jobs and have difficulties in school because of working at Uniqlo. They are expected to put in many hours of overtime. Some part time and full time contracts include 45 hours of overtime. But they are expected to put in much more.

Mr. Yanai is a good person. He provides full ride scholarships to roughly 30 Japanese high school students a year to attend top level US and British universities.